MEET THE FOUNDER

Sheila Collins is a visionary social entrepreneur, global advocate, and founder of Girlfriends Who Inspire Change (GWIC), LLC,  a purpose-driven social enterprise network operating through a for-profit business model with a strong commitment to social impact and economic empowerment. 

She holds a Paralegal Certification in Immigration and Construction Law from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice Administration from the University of Phoenix. She also pursued graduate studies in Public Administration and has earned multiple professional and academic credentials throughout her career.

More than 25 years ago, after experiencing a difficult divorce, Sheila faced one of the most challenging periods of her life while living in a low-income public housing community and rebuilding from the ground up. During that season, she witnessed firsthand the economic barriers and systemic inequities affecting women striving for stability and opportunity.

Rather than allowing adversity to define her future, she transformed hardship into purpose. Those life experiences became the foundation for what would eventually become Girlfriends Who Inspire Change (GWIC), a platform built from scratch to create economic pathways, amplify women’s voices, and foster sustainable ecosystems for empowerment.

As Sheila often says:

“People who see a problem and transform it into an opportunity create the most extraordinary success stories.” She has lived that belief through leadership, resilience, and vision.

Founded in 2014 and legally incorporated in 2017, Girlfriends Who Inspire Change (GWIC) is a social enterprise e-commerce marketplace and empowerment network dedicated to combating economic inequality through strategic partnerships, education, entrepreneurship, and global collaboration.

Since 2017, GWIC has been recognized as a Civil Society Organization (CSO) by the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund. The World Bank Group, a partnership of 189 member countries, works to reduce poverty and support sustainable economic development worldwide.

In 2023, the World Bank Group and the U.S. Commercial Service selected GWIC for participation in the Minority Business Outreach Initiative.

In 2019, GWIC became part of the United Nations Economic and Social Council network through UN Women as a member, friend, and global network partner, supporting international conversations surrounding gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Sheila Collins has long been committed to civic engagement, policy advocacy, and community leadership. In 2019, she moderated the first Democratic, U.S. Presidential Town Hall with Andrew Yang during the Humanity Tour in Las Vegas, Nevada.

In 2018, she participated in the International Women’s March “Power to the Polls” movement in Las Vegas, contributing to the historic “Women’s Wave” midterm elections that resulted in the first-ever election of 100 women to the U.S. House of Representatives.

That same year, she served as a judge for the Miss Black Universe Pageant in Las Vegas. Under former President Barack Obama, Sheila co-signed support for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010. In 2015, she was designated a United States Ambassador for World Peace by the Universal Peace Federation.

Sheila’s dedication to community service spans decades. Her leadership and volunteer involvement have included organizations and initiatives such as:

• Children’s Advocacy Alliance 
• Nevadans United for Early Childhood Equity 
• City of Las Vegas Historic Preservation Commission 
• National Action Network 
• Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (Citizen Advisory)
• NAACP 
• AmeriCorps 

She has also served in leadership, advisory, and civic engagement roles connected to housing advocacy, youth initiatives, early voting outreach, and community development throughout Nevada.

Throughout her career, Sheila Collins has received numerous honors recognizing her leadership, humanitarian work, and community impact, including:

• NAACP Las Vegas Chapter – Community Service Award 
• Shea Moisture (Sundial Brands) – “Power Players of Las Vegas” (2018) 
• International Business Forum of Las Vegas – Humanitarian Award 
• Urban Chamber of Commerce – Women in Business & Politics Award 
• Recognition from community organizations, including Sunrise Children Foundation and Greater New Jerusalem (GNJ) 

She has also received U.S. Senate and Congressional recognitions from Nevada elected officials, including:

• Jacky Rosen 
• Harry Reid 
• John Ensign 
• Jim Gibbons 
• Susie Lee 
• Steven Horsford 

Today, Sheila Collins continues to lead GWIC with a bold and evolving vision: building economic ecosystems that empower women to move from survival to sustainability, from consumer to owner, and from limitation to legacy.

Her journey, from public housing to global advocacy, reflects resilience, strategic leadership, and the transformative power of turning personal trials into collective impact.