The Beau Biden Foundation for the Protection of Children announced the appointment of two new members to its Board of Directors, Viola Vaughan-Eden, PhD, MSW, MJ and Michelle D. Shepherd. The addition of Dr. Vaughan-Eden and Mrs. Shepherd brings the number of board members to ten.

“We are honored and proud to officially welcome Dr. Vaughan-Eden and Michelle Shepherd to our Board of Directors,” said Patricia Dailey Lewis, Esq., Executive Director of the Beau Biden Foundation. “These incredible women bring a wealth of knowledge and experience that will help forward our mission to protect children and confront abuse.”

Viola Vaughan-Eden, PhD, MSW, MJ

Viola Vaughan-Eden, PhD, MSW, MJ is a clinical and forensic social worker who serves as a consultant and expert witness in child maltreatment cases – principally sexual abuse.  She is Associate Professor and PhD Program Director with The Ethelyn R. Strong School of Social Work at Norfolk State University. Dr. Vaughan-Eden is also President Emerita of the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children President Emerita of the National Partnership to End Interpersonal Violence and Past-President of the National Organization of Forensic Social Work.

Dr. Vaughan-Eden is the recipient of numerous honors including as a 2019 Council of Social Work Education Leadership Scholar, 2015 Family and Children’s Trust Fund of Virginia Child Welfare Award, 2014 Champions for Children Community Service Award, 2012 National Association of Social Workers Virginia Chapter Lifetime Achievement Award, and 2011 National Children’s Advocacy Center’s Outstanding Service Award in Mental Health.

Throughout her 30-year career she has conducted more than 2500 child abuse evaluations and provided expert testimony more than 600 times.

Michelle D. Shepherd, Board Treasurer

“It is a tremendous honor to serve on the Beau Biden Foundation’s Board of Directors. Our children’s future and our society’s soul require we continue Beau’s mission of shining a bright light on child abuse,” said Dr. Vaughan-Eden. “Knowing it might not end in our lifetime, we still must show up every day as beacons for future generations. I feel fortunate to continue Beau’s legacy and work with such esteemed colleagues.”

Michelle D. Shepherd is an independent consultant working in the financial services industry and will serve as the Beau Biden Foundation’s Board Treasurer.

Mrs. Shepherd retired from Bank of America as the company’s East Division Executive in 2008. During her tenure, Mrs. Shepherd also served as the company’s Senior Privacy Executive and sat on the Management Operating Committee and the Global Diversity and Inclusion Council.

Prior to her time at Bank of America, Mrs. Shepherd spent 20 years with MBNA where she last served as a Group Executive and member of MBNA’s Executive Committee, overseeing sales and marketing for the U.S. credit card business, including the company’s in-house advertising agency.

Mrs. Shepherd has also served as a member of MasterCard International’s Business Committee and Visa International’s Marketing Advisory Committee, a director of the American Heart Association, Delaware Affiliate, as a trustee of the Delaware Historical Society and Delaware State University, and as chair of the board of trustees of the Tower Hill School. Currently, she serves as a director of the Mary Campbell Center in Wilmington, Delaware, and chair of Georgetown University’s Alumni Admissions Program in Delaware.

“I have long admired the work of the Beau Biden Foundation and am honored to join the Board,” said Mrs. Shepherd. “As Beau himself said, ‘As adults, we have a legal and moral obligation to stand up and speak out for children who are being abused.’  I look forward to supporting the Foundation in developing and implementing programs that ensure that happens, and I am confident that the Beau Biden Foundation can and will be an important part of true social and behavioral change.”

For a full list of current Beau Biden Foundation board members, visit www.BeauBidenFoundation.org/Our-Board.