Sharon Shaw-McEwen, BS, M.S.S.W., Ed.D.

Dr. Sharon Shaw-McEwen is a national consultant and an Associate Professor of Social Work at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, TN. For over 15 years, she has also served as the Chief Executive Officer for the Centers for Family Life in Nashville, Tennessee. The Center has developed a model, multi-focused prevention program for African-American families. Dr. Shaw-McEwen is a former Director of Prevention Services, for the Tennessee alcohol and drug agency and she has taught the Counseling Diverse Populations course in Human Resources Department at Vanderbilt University in Nashville.

Dr. Shaw-McEwen has been an Expert Consultant for the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) in Washington, D.C. and has consulted on matters of cultural diversity with several Washington, DC based consultant firms that contract with CSAP. She provides technical assistance across the country to substance abuse, mental health, and educational programs that are working with African-American families and children.

Sharon holds the Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology (minors in Psychology and Speech) from Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois. Her Master of Science in Social Work degree is from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville; and her Doctor of Education degree with a focus in administrative leadership and human resource development is from Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee.

Dr. Shaw-McEwen has been a consultant on several federal task forces, grant review committees and has presented workshops and keynotes at numerous conferences focused on culture as it relates to mental health, substance abuse and education issues. She was nominated to serve on the 1988 Health and Human Services Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health National Advisory Board as an advisor to the Secretary. She was a consultant and presenter in the prevention section of the 1988 White House Conference for a Drug Free America; she served on the 1996 Social Security Representative Payee System federal task force; and she currently serves on a White House Drug Policy Advisory Committee.

She holds and has held memberships in numerous professional and civic organizations. In 1988, she was the Nashville and southeastern regional New Soror-of-the-Year of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. She was the 1992 recipient of the Outstanding Service Award given by the Tennessee State Caucus of Black Legislators; and in '95 and '96 she was one of the faculty "top five" finalists for the MTSU Public Service Award. She is the 2001 recipient of the MTSU John Pleas Distinguished Faculty Award and the 2001 Ebony Achievement Faculty Member of the Year Award. She was recommended by the MTSU Interim President, Dr. Smith in 2001 to represent MTSU at the prestigious Bryn Mawr Summer Leadership Institute for Women in Higher Education and was selected by the institute to receive this honor. Dr. Shaw-McEwen is a nominee for the 2001-2002 class of Leadership Middle Tennessee.