If there is one word to describe Dr. Carol Shelton it is advocacy. She has a distinguished career advocating for clients, students, women, and vulnerable populations. Dr. Shelton’s interest and work in health care policy and social justice are reflected in her work as a nurse, educator, professional, and community organizer.
As a community health nurse, she worked for community health centers and visiting nurse services. One of her accomplishments was assisting in developing an innovative program of health prevention and maintenance in a welfare hotel in Manhattan while working with the Visiting Nurse Service of Greater New York.
Within a few years of working as a nurse, she began her career as an educator at Salve Regina College where she received her B.S.N. Dr. Shelton, shortly thereafter, became a faculty member at Rhode Island College. During her tenure at Rhode Island College she taught many courses specializing in community health nursing, health policy and women’s health. She also served on many committees and for a time was Acting Director of Women’s Studies Program. Dr. Shelton is credited with the development of an inventive public policy project with the community health nursing. She is also facilitator and instructor at Brown University School of Medicine. To her list of achievements are numerous publications, presentations, and books.
Over and above Dr Shelton’s career as a nurse and educator is her work with professional, social and community organizations, which best illustrates her advocacy. The list is impressive and includes current work with such community organizations as the Feminist Literary Quarterly, RITE Care Advisory Committee, Luethi-Peterson Camp, Dorcas Place, Campaign to Eliminate Poverty Among Rhode Island Children, George A Wily Center, and Co-Founder of the Rhode Island Women’s Health Collective., Professional organizations include University of Rhode Island Midwifery Advisory Committee, Department of Health Task Force on Women and Smoking in Rhode Island, Institute of Women’s Policy Research, Sigma Theta Tau, American Public Health Association and the Rhode Island Public Health Association. She also serves on the Board of the United Methodist Elder Care.
Clearly students, women and all the people of Rhode Island have benefited from the tireless work of Dr. Carol Shelton. She is a true advocate.
