Save the date now for LWV HHI-BA Members Holiday Celebration, Tuesday, December 8. Members will receive an email invitation when reservations open.

Special Guest Speaker: Shirley "Peaches" Peterson

Shirley Ann “Peaches” Peterson is a community leader, philanthropist, and educator dedicated to education, women’s empowerment, the arts, and historic preservation. Her lifelong service reflects a belief in leadership’s power to transform lives and strengthen communities.

A Chicago native, she holds a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Master of Science in Counseling from Saint Louis University. Her career includes teaching at Webster and Maryville Universities and human resources and consulting roles with Prudential Insurance, Maritz Motivation Company, and McDonnell Douglas Missile Systems (Boeing Corp.).

Her community leadership spans Arkansas and South Carolina. As Scholarship Director for Bentonville High School, she led efforts that raised more than $1.7 million in scholarships for graduating seniors. She has also supported education, women’s advancement, and family services through board service with the Benton County Women’s Shelter, Single Parent Scholarship Fund, and Rogers-Bentonville Junior Auxiliary.

An arts and preservation advocate, Shirley formerly served as President of the Walton Arts Center Board and currently serves as Board Vice President for the Art Center of Coastal Carolina. She chairs the Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park Board and is Vice Chair of the Gullah Geechee Historic Neighborhoods Community Development Corporation. Her leadership also includes board roles with the Coastal Discovery Museum and Community Foundation of the Low Country.

And there is much more to Peaches Peterson. Read her impressive full bio here or to listen to her TedxHilton Head talk.