Shirley J. Holloway

Dr. Holloway earned her Ph.D. at Gonzaga University and holds a Master’s Degree, Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science. Her career includes being a teacher for the deaf and hard of hearing, speech pathologist, principal, superintendent, college professor and college president. She has served as a Regent of Charter College, the President of Sheldon Jackson College and as a board member for the Blood Bank of Alaska, the Special Olympics, the CIRI Foundation, the Ilisagvik Foundation and NAMI Anchorage. She served as the Commissioner of Education and Early Development for six years for the state of Alaska and recently served on the Pan American Health Organization’s (PAHO) High Commission on Mental Health and COVID-19. The report was just made public on June 9, 2023. Shirley provides consulting services through her business, Leadership for Excellence. Her areas of expertise include developing and improving relationships, processes and policies for both governing boards and their executive leadership.

Shirley has been honored by being inducted into the Alaska Women’s Hall of Fame and recognized numerous times by the Alaska State Legislature for her contributions to education.

She first found NAMI after the loss of her daughter to mental illness. Through her work with NAMI, she hopes to improve access and quality of mental health services to underserved populations.

Shirley is also known as “Quvian,” the Inupiat name given to her by the people of Utqiagvik (previously known as Barrow), which means “person of joy.”