"In motivating people, you've got to engage their minds and their hearts. I motivate people, I hope, by example -- and perhaps by     excitement, by having productive ideas to make others feel involved."  
~ Keith Rupert Murdock ~

Board of Directors

Grooming Future World Leaders™ (GFWL) is a start-up company formed in 2001 by a core team of three professionals who together represent more than 35 years of experience in programs/project management for global deployment of services, 25 years of experience in managing quality assurance-related functions, and more than 15 years in launching products and services that are considered innovations by the targeted users and an additional ten years of working with youth of multiple cultural backgrounds. The board of directors, staff, and advisors represent and identify with the targeted 'at risk' groups.

Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Shirley Smith, Founder and CEO, has had extensive experience in managing and coordinating global programs across many cultures.   During a 14-year career at Hewlett-Packard Company, Shirley won several HP STAR Awards for her roles in global partnership programs and her achievements in implementing worldwide communications strategies.    

In the course of planning global program strategies and business continuity and disaster recovery plans of both internal and external partners, Shirley has traveled extensively to Japan, Mainland China, Korea, Singapore, India, Australia, the UK, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany, France, Canada, Mexico City, Brazil, Belgium, Italy, and other countries to conduct group planning sessions and inspections.

Her previous responsibilities have included Global Program Management, Partnership Development and Strategic Alliances management, Sales Force Development and compensation, and training of  call centers and sales forces among many other market development responsibilities. 

Volunteering to assist with community and youth programs is an active part of Shirley's life for more than 15 years.  These programs include: the management of a United Way campaign for one of Hewlett Packard's marketing divisions, co-development of corporate-to-community mentorship programs for youth, teaching multi-cultural youth classes for six years in a large non-profit organization in San Jose, establishing youth mentoring clinics, co-chair for the One Root Youth Village held during the annual One Root Festival (a multi-cultural appreciation and awareness festival). 

A single mother of three sons, Shirley firmly believes the promise found in Isaiah 54:5, 13, & 17 and that learning is a life long process. 

She actively participates in international women mentoring and youth conferences aimed at sharpening awareness of multiple cultures that addresses the needs of people around the world.

Shirley has a Bachelors’ degree in Business Administration from Mississippi State University.

Additional Board of Directors

Theartris Ervin, Chief Technology Officer

Dr. Danny Howard, Board Officer

Gloria Gibson, CPA, Board Officer

Harry Uy, Board Officer

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