SOROR SONYA REDDICK SHAW
GREATER Reimagined!
This month, we salute our GREATER Soror, Sonya Reddick Shaw. Dr. Sonya Reddick Shaw, CEO and Founder of S.R. Shaw Enterprises, is an author, motivational speaker, community engagement consultant and strategy coach. Last year, Dr. Shaw released her new book to help women become unstuck in their careers entitled “Girl Get Moving! Your Career Dreams Are Waiting on You: A Blueprint for Women Leaders to Maximize Mindset, Belief Systems and Strategies”. She combines her 30+ years of professional experience in leadership, along with her research focusing on the career experiences of women leaders. She a retired government agency director with over 30 years of municipal parks and recreation experience in North Carolina. She is a fellow of the Academy of Parks and Recreation Administration, having been recognized as 1 of the top 100 parks and recreation practitioners in the country. Dr. Shaw is the first African American woman to obtain a Doctorate Degree in Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management from North Carolina State University, where she conducted the first national study in the country on the career experiences of African American women in public parks and recreation agencies.
Over the course of her years in municipal parks and recreation, Dr. Shaw led various agencies through two national accreditation processes, secured nearly $4 million in grants and sponsorships, developed 10-year comprehensive parks and recreation plans, rebranded a 461-seat performing arts center, completed over $12 million dollars in park enhancement bond projects and led logistics for an American Idol hometown tour.
Dr. Shaw has served in both state and national associations as President of the National Recreation and Park Ethnic Minority Society, Historian of the NC Black Recreation and Park Professionals, and is a Past President of the North Carolina Recreation and Park Association. She is a former Board Regent for the National Recreation and Park Association Supervisors Management School and Practitioner Representative for Council on the Accreditation of Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Related Professions for colleges and universities. Dr. Shaw is a Life Member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. and serves locally with the Greater, Beta Lambda Sigma Alumnae Chapter in Raleigh, NC. In her sorority, she has served regionally as an Area III coordinator, reactivating the Beta Pi Sigma chapter in 1995 where she served as Basileus for a number of years. Dr. Shaw’s sister, Valarie is a member of BLS and her neice Lauryn is a Rhoer.
Dr. Shaw obtained her B.A in Recreation Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and two master’s degrees in public administration and counseling from North Carolina Central University. Dr. Shaw enjoys sharing these experiences with women across the country during women’s leadership, state and national conferences. Though leadership development is key for Dr. Shaw, she enjoys spending time with her family, celebrating 20 years of marriage this year to Ronald. They have two children, Brittany and Logan, and one granddaughter Ava.
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