Shelia Hennessee – Faith Organizer – The Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy in Richmond.

Sheila Herlihy Hennessee serves as the Faith Organizer with the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy in Richmond. There, she leads advocacy on affordable housing policy, and builds relationships with faith communities to involve them in the work of justice. Sheila is a professed Secular Franciscan who values dignity, simplicity, and peacebuilding. Before joining the VICPP team, she served as the Coordinator of Justice and Charity at a bilingual Catholic parish in Charlottesville, VA for eight years where she coordinated advocacy and community organizing efforts. She has a B.A. in Spanish and Sociology of Religion from Wittenberg University in Ohio, and she has spoken at retreats and conferences in both English and Spanish on welcoming immigrants, affordable housing, and justice as integral to faith. She is passionate about building bridges with diverse communities, whether among diverse language groups, faith traditions, or political persuasions. In addition to her role at VICPP, she serves on the board of Sin Barreras/Without Barriers, and enjoys swing dancing and making music in her free time.