Sheba Person-Whitley

Regional Director
U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Economic Development Administration

Sheba Person-Whitley serves as regional director of the Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) Seattle Regional Office, under the U.S. Department of Commerce. Appointed to the position in December 2021, Person-Whitley leads a team of 45 professionals in providing placed-based, community-driven funding opportunities throughout the Seattle Region, which includes eight Western states (Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Washington) and six U.S. territories (American Samoa, Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Republic of Marshall Islands, Republic of Palau).

Person-Whitley began her economic development career in 2008 and has worked in various economic development roles for the North Carolina Department of Commerce, Louisiana Economic Development, and California local government. Her key contributions included export promotion; international trade; foreign direct investment; economic, labor, and wage analysis; DEI strategy development; operations management; program development; business retention, attraction, and expansion; and small business support. As a part of her international trade contributions for North Carolina and Louisiana, she led trade missions to Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and the Middle East.

Person-Whitley holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from North Carolina State University and a Master of Science in Operations and Project Management from Southern New Hampshire University.