Dr. Shirley Davis Biography - United Ways of California

Dr. Shirley Davis

President & CEO
SDS Global Enterprises

Dr. Shirley Davis is President and CEO of SDS Global Enterprises, a strategic development solutions firm that specializes in human resources strategy; talent management; leadership effectiveness; high performance; and culture transformation. Dr. Davis has over thirty years of experience in a variety of senior executive leadership roles in Fortune 100 & 50 corporations in financial services, banking, manufacturing, and retail sales, as well as in nonprofit leadership at the world’s largest human resources association, the Society for Human Resource Management. Her work has been featured by the Wall Street Journal, Forbes Magazine, NBC’s Today Show, USA Today, CBS News, Fox News, CNN.com, Fast Company, CEOWorld Magazine, Harvard Business Review, and many others. In May 2022, her story was featured on the front page of Oprah Daily. As a result of her contributions and expertise in the HR, Leadership, Business, and DEI fields, she was inducted into Inclusion Magazine’s Hall of Fame in November 2021, and in August 2022 in Nashville, TN she received The Golden Gavel Award which is Toastmasters International’s highest and most prestigious award given to only one person each year. Additionally, she was nominated for Forbes 2021, and 2022 Women 50 Over 50 list.

Dr. Davis has worked in more than 30 countries on 5 continents and delivers more than 100 speeches a year to a wide range of industries, sectors, and sizes. She continues to consult, coach, and train leaders at all levels, including Corporate CEOs, C-Suite executives, and Board of Directors. She served on the Board of Directors and the Foundation Board for the National Speakers Association (2017-2021). She is currently a member of the NSA Million Dollar Speakers Group, Black NSA, and the Global Speakers Federation.

In 2021, she was named to the national board of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. She holds a Bachelor’s in Pre-Law, a Master’s in Adult Education; a second Master’s in Human Resource Management, a Ph.D. in Business and Organizational Leadership, and holds more than 10 certifications.

Dr. Shirley Davis is the author of the Amazon bestseller, “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Dummies (Wiley & Sons, 2022)” and Living Beyond “What If?” Release the Limits and Realize Your Dreams (Berrett Koehler 2021). She’s also the author of Reinvent Yourself: Strategies for Achieving Success in Every Area of Your Life (2020) and The Seat: How to Get Invited to the Table When You’re Over-Performing but Undervalued (2016). Additionally, she is a popular author for nine LinkedIn Learning courses on Leadership, Workplace Culture, and Business/Career Development.

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