Renowned Author and Consumer Products Executive Brings Wealth of Corporate Knowledge and Passion for Non-Profit Organizations

GREENACRES, FL – Connie Shepherd, renowned author, consumer products executive and non-profit consultant, has joined the Board of Directors at Potentia Academy, a private, not-for-profit school serving middle and high school students in Palm Beach County who struggle in traditional learning environments, it was announced today. 

Shepherd holds an impressive brand pedigree with some of the world’s top consumer and retail companies, including Procter & Gamble, Starbucks, Kellogg, and Hershey. She has been recruited from one to the next among these industry leaders, due to her ability to consistently exceed revenue, profit, market share and organization development objectives across 28 of the largest consumer product categories and through over 19 different distribution channels. 

“Connie brings a tremendous amount of energy and knowledge to our Board and Potentia Academy,” said J. Duane Meeks, Ph.D., President and CEO of the school. “She is extremely adept at governance, board management and strategic planning. Above all, she has a tremendous heart for helping others.”

Shepherd currently serves as the Senior Vice President of Strategy and Commercialization for the Bumble Bee Seafood Company, where she is responsible for accelerating profitable brand and share growth of the billion-dollar global seafood business. Her accountabilities include innovation, marketing, revenue management, and sales, as well as building a world-class commercial organization with new capabilities required for success in a post-pandemic world. 

Prior to joining Bumble Bee, Shepherd was the President and CEO of Cooper Consulting, where she created and founded a consulting practice to address unmet market needs for large scale corporate and non-profit organizations, such as building innovative infrastructures for growth, assessing financial and business models for productivity and profitability, and developing innovative commercialization approaches for new markets. Microsoft, Teva Pharmaceuticals (GLG), Special Olympics, Palm Beach Atlantic University, Vee Pack and Clarkston Consulting were just a few of her clients. 

Prior to Bumble Bee, Shepherd served in various high-level positions, including Senior Vice President of North America Channel Business Development for the Starbucks Company, Vice President of the Food Channel for The Hershey Company, Vice President of Western Region Sales for the Morning Foods Division of Kellogg’s and a Sales and Marketing manager at Procter & Gamble (P&G). 

Shepherd holds a bachelor’s degree from Florida State University.

For more information about Potentia Academy and its expansion plans, please contact Dr. Duane Meeks at 561.512.5242 or dmeeks@potentiaacademy.org. 

ABOUT POTENTIA ACADEMY: Potentia Academy is an education alternative for unique learners where every student has the right to achieve his or her full learning potential. The private school located in Greenacres is designed exclusively to serve students in grades 5 through 12 who struggle in traditional learning environments, particularly in their mastery of math and reading skills. Highly qualified and caring teachers combine specialized curricula, unique teaching methods, appropriate accommodations, and small class sizes in a safe and nurturing environment to help students believe in themselves and in the future that awaits them.