Many of our Chamber partners found their path by listening to their inner voices. Shellie Barrus, too, and that was triply fortunate.
For one, “Working in nonprofits called to me; I didn’t search it out,” says the Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Summit and Wasatch Counties, whose early years were in accounting.
Then, while working on the books for Habitat for Humanity in Salt Lake, “I was moved to work directly with people needing the service and I enjoyed being on the construction site,” she recalls. “I grew up in a construction family, and it felt natural.”
Finally, when her Habitat work led to PC, “I wanted to stay in Park City because of the people,” she says. “They have an amazing willingness to help and roll up their sleeves.” This year mark’s Shellie’s twelfth with the local Habitat, seven as Executive Director. “I found my passion” she says simply.
The native Utahn finds life more varied than in her early accounting days. “I might be on the building site, then in a homeowner meeting discussing mortgages, then out in the community connecting with donors or partners. It is fun!”
“Family is very important to me,” she says of the values informing her work. “I love seeing children from our Habitat homeowners thrive. I’ve seen firsthand the transformational change of owning a home brings to families.”
The executive who came to nonprofit housing via accounting still looks for ways to connect her diverging interests. “Yoga and travel are two other passions,” she laughs. “Putting them together is the perfect combination!”
You can combine helping Habitat with a fun evening (dress code: overalls and hard hats!) at Habitat’s Overall Ball fundraiser on June 24. Info habitat-utah.org.
