Sheena Meade
Sheena Meade empowers the disenfranchised. She is a walking barrier breaker and one of America’s leading experts on criminal justice reform.
As CEO of The Clean Slate Initiative (CSI), Sheena leads a national bipartisan coalition to advance policy that automatically clears all eligible arrest and conviction records across the US.
From creating a partnership with the NBA Social Justice Coalition to strategizing with groups of all political persuasion; Sheena is boundless in her commitment to making change. Her bipartisan approach has helped drive over 37 million people to receive full or partial record clearance.
In April 2023, The Clean Slate Initiative received a $75 million commitment catalyzed through The Audacious Project - a landmark investment for a legal system reform organization with a directly impacted leader. On April 19, 2023, Sheena delivered a TED talk highlighting the impactful work of The Clean Slate Initiative and sharing part of her personal motivation to pain into purpose into policy.
Prior to becoming CEO of The Clean Slate Initiative Sheena helped found Florida Rights Restoration Coalition (FRRC) as its first Organizing Director—along with wearing many other hats—and simultaneously took on the role of Senior Advisor to Second Chances Amendment 4 Florida Campaign. During this statewide, grassroots effort to return voting rights to people experiencing felony disenfranchisement Sheena raised 15 million dollars, mobilized thousands of impacted families and supporters to get to the polls, trained hundreds of activists to engage within their communities on the issue of criminal justice, and brought together 800 faith congregations to support Amendment 4 efforts. Florida voters enthusiastically passed Amendment 4 in 2018, restoring voting rights to 1.4 million people. Sheena is regularly featured in media such as Bloomberg, Ebony, NY Times, Axios, Forbes, Washington Post, CNN, NBC News, and CBS News, one of America’s most influential and dynamic nonprofit leaders, women empowerment experts, and the premier voice for criminal justice reform.
Sheena currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Public Welfare Foundation and also sits on the boards of: the Policing Project at NYU School of Law; Live Free USA; and the Florida Coalition on Black Civic Engagement.
Over the course of her life, she has worked in communities around the country, channeling her passions and skill to raise money for those most impacted by the criminal justice system. She has convened bipartisan political notables to address critical issues related to criminal justice. Her grassroots' organizing savvy has led to successful voter registration drives around the country, including working with the likes of Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande, John Legend, and Roc Nation.
Her own journey is a life of overcoming. She epitomizes resilience. From teenage mom and survivor of domestic violence to acclaimed executive, proud mother of five children, and half of one of America’s most dynamic power couples. Her husband, Desmond, shares his wife’s passion about criminal justice reform and voting rights. His organization, FRRC, recently was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize, an organization that Sheena helped build.
Perhaps the greatest tool Sheena has in her arsenal is how she makes people feel. Whether it is someone who has fallen on hard times or a multimillionaire; she connects with them and leaves them feeling inspired. Ask Sheena about these accomplishments and her drive, her answer is simple: “I’m just Sheena.”