She will be officially commissioned at the Society’s annual meeting on Sept. 3, 2011 as the first woman to lead  the SVdP’s 172,000 members in 4,600 communities in USA.

Sheila has a Bachelor of Science degree in sociology and a Master of Science degree in public and environmental affairs, both from Indiana University.  In addition, she has a certificate in public management from Indiana University and a Master of Arts in pastoral theology from St. Mary of the Woods College.

She has served as administrator of a retreat center, a director of religious education for a parish, chair of an archdiocesan adult formation team, and is a past member of the Indianapolis Archdiocesan Evangelization Commission.  Gilbert is also a professed Secular Franciscan.

“I am humbled and grateful that the members of the Society have granted me this responsibility,” said Gilbert.  “Having been involved in the organization for some 30 years, I am privileged to serve in the company of exceptionally talented and compassionate men and women who have dedicated their lives to serving those who are most in need.”

She said that in addition to helping the members of the Society  grow personally and spiritually, she wants to enhance the organization’s effectiveness in helping those living in poverty not only to survive but, more important, to move out of poverty.

Gilbert is a strong advocate of “systemic change” ― working closely with those living in poverty to better understand and address the root causes of their condition, collaborating with other organizations to develop innovative ways to reduce or eliminate poverty, and to advocate for long-term change at the local, state and national levels.

“These goals are attainable,” said Gilbert.  “We just need to find the will to carry them out.”

Providing more than $595 million in tangible and in-kind services, SVdP serves more than 14 million people in need each year, performs more than 648,000 visits to people in their homes, and delivers more than 7 million service hours to those in need, regardless of race, religion or national origin.

There are more  than 690,000 men and women throughout the world who voluntarily join together to grow spiritually and offer person-to-person service to the needy and people living in poverty in 142 countries on five continents.