Women United
ALICE
WE BELIEVE WHEN CARING, COMMITTED WOMEN COME TOGETHER ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE.
As a critical part of the United Way of Delaware, Women United® fights for the education and financial stability of every person in our community. Our mission is simple yet bold: to inspire, educate, and motivate women to become positive change-agents within our community through leadership, philanthropy, and volunteerism.
We Ignite Change
We don’t stand by. We’re raising our voices, rolling up our sleeves, and leaving our fingerprints on a legacy of change that benefits all. In each community we serve, we tackle the issues that matter most. We empower each other to leverage our passions, ideas, expertise, and resources to transform the very conditions in which people live. With more dollars invested in local solutions, we’re able to positively impact our work in Delaware while also being part of the bigger picture and broader cause.
Are You Ready to Make a Difference?
If you are motivated to inspire change within our community and are passionate about helping those in need, then we invite you to become a member of Women United. You’ll be a part of a community of like-minded women who contribute their unique strengths to the mission of building stronger communities.
By joining Women United you get special invitations to events, as well as:
Networking Opportunities
Network and collaborate with key business and community leaders at exclusive events.
Community Awareness
Learn more about critical issues impacting our community during educational sessions.
Volunteer Experience
Engage with our community by volunteering alongside others who are looking to create change.
Our Leadership
Women United is at the forefront of United Way’s movement to build stronger communities. Meet our Women United Chairs and Advisory Committee who fights for the health, education, and financial stability of every person in Delaware and Salem County (NJ).
Dr. Kathleen Shelton
FMC Corporation / retired
Kathy lives and works in Delaware. She spent 25 years at DuPont in several roles, including an expat assignment in Geneva, Switzerland with her husband and three children. While her career spanned many organizations, Kathy is passionate to use science and innovation to bring new products to the market. She held leadership roles in the U.S. and Europe across several businesses and functions, including Crop Protection, Regulatory Affairs, Product Stewardship and Central Research.
Kathy joined FMC as CTO in 2017, where she has led the company’s strategy, overseen an innovation pipeline valued at over $2.5 billion in peak sales from new products and defined a renewed research sustainability platform for new products in discovery and development.
Kathy joined the Board of the United Way in 2019. She also serves on the boards of
directors for the Delaware State University Foundation and the Science History
Institute in Philadelphia.
Kathy retired in March, 2023 and now spends her time outdoors, biking, gardening,
playing golf and tennis and enjoying time with her family. As an advisor to two
venture capital funds, Kathy continues to be passionate on finding and supporting
technology based start-up companies that bring new products to the market.
Dr. Whitney Williams
Public School Principal and District Administrator / Retired
Dr. Williams is an independent consultant, retired public school principal, and former district-level administrator with over 30 years of experience advancing early childhood, K–12 literacy, family engagement, and whole-child supports. A servant and transformational leader, she brings deep expertise in building and sustaining cross-sector partnerships, strengthening family and community engagement programs, and leading multi-year initiatives that improve outcomes for children and families facing systemic barriers.
As a Gallup-Certified Strengths-Based Coach, Dr. Williams supports leaders and teams leverage their strengths to build healthy cultures, develop talent, improve retention, and drive meaningful change. She currently provides consulting services to school districts and nonprofit organizations, supporting organizational culture, leadership development, and program design. Throughout her career, she has led and supervised large-scale initiatives, where her work emphasizes collective impact, equity, and multi-generational approaches to help marginalized populations overcome generational poverty.
Dr. Williams’ leadership has been recognized with the 2022 Women Leading Delaware Education Award and a nomination for the American Association of School Administrators Women in Leadership Award. In 2024, she was named Principal of the Year by the National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa, Inc., Rho Chapter (Delaware).
She is the Founder and CEO of Generations of Promise, Inc., a Delaware-based nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening children, families, and communities by breaking cycles of generational poverty through education, literacy, wellness, and multi-generational support. Dr. Williams resides in New Castle, Delaware with her husband, John, and they are the proud parents of two adult daughters, Jayda and Nia Faith.
Women’s United Advisory Board
- Michelle Taylor, United Way of Delaware, (President and Chief Executive Officer)
- Kathleen “Kathy” Shelton, Community Leader, Co-Chair
- Whitney Williams, Community Leader, Co-Chair
- Deborah J Armstrong, Senior Director, Philanthropy and Engagement, United Way of Delaware
- Sherese Brewington-Carr, Director, Commission for Women, State of Delaware
- Stephanie Haley, GPP Area Leader, W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
- Ellyn Moore, Community Engagement Coordinator, United Way of Delaware
- Deborah Reeves, Senior Director, Community Engagement, United Way of Delaware
- Jessica Srail, Material Analyst, Bloom Energy
- Melissa Stamper, Regional Engagement Manager, External Affairs, Chesapeake Utilities Corporation
- Stacy Stevens, Senior Accountant, United Way of Delaware
- Suzanne Wong, Principal, Bader Elementary
Contact the team
Use the form to connect with us about ALICE findings, community partnerships, or support opportunities, and we’ll respond promptly.
Deborah Armstrong
Co-lead of Women United
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