Author Profile

Dr. Sheena Meade is the CEO of The Clean Slate Initiative (CSI), where she leads a national bipartisan effort to pass policies that automate the sealing of eligible arrest and conviction records across the United States.

Under her leadership, CSI has helped pass legislation in 13 states and D.C. that has created a path for more than 18 million people to receive full or partial record sealing. The organization was named one of the Top 10 Female-Led Companies in SUCCESS magazine and, in 2023,received a $75 million commitment from The Audacious Project to support CSI’s six-year strategy to unlock opportunities for up to 14 million additional people—an unprecedented investment in second chances.

A sought-after speaker, Sheena shared her personal story and CSI’s mission at the TED2023 Conference; her talk has received over 1 million views and counting. She later served as commencement speaker at Cheyney University, the nation’s first HBCU, where she was also awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Public Service in 2024. Her voice has reached global audiences through platforms including the Milken Institute Global Conference, The Aspen Institute Forum on Children and Families, SXSW, The Legal Tech Fund, and the Concordia Summit. She is also the recipient of the 2024 BMe Vanguard Award.

Sheena’s leadership exemplifies bipartisanship and coalition building. She has collaborated with cultural and political leaders alike and was featured as a spokesperson for the directly impacted in John Legend’s award-winning documentary Home/Free. She has also worked alongside Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande, Kerry Washington, Roc Nation, and the NFL coalition. Sheena has been featured in media such as Forbes, CNN, Ebony, CBS, PBS News, Newsweek, and more, as one of America’s most influential and dynamic nonprofit leaders.

Before joining CSI, Sheena helped build and scale the Nobel Peace Prize- nominated Florida Rights Restoration Coalition (FRRC) as its first Organizing Director and served as Senior Advisor to the Amendment 4 Florida Campaign, which restored voting rights to 1.4 million Floridians. Sheena currently serves on the boards of the Public Welfare Foundation, Live Free USA, the Florida Coalition on Black Civic Engagement, and The Policing Project at NYU School of Law.

Sheena Meade lives in Orlando, Florida, with her husband, Desmond Meade, and their five children. She draws on her life as a wife, mother, and community advocate to inspire and connect with audiences.

Ask Sheena about these accomplishments and her drive, her answer is simple: “I’m just Sheena.”