Shatina Edwards, Founder and Executive Director of M.E.A.N. Girls Empowerment™, was born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, IL. A certified Life Coach and Mentor, Shatina is passionate about empowering youth and advocating for their well-being. Her journey into youth advocacy began in 2006, and since then, she has dedicated herself to volunteering, mentoring, and participating in numerous community and church events that support young people.

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Shatina was inspired to speak out against bullying based on her personal experience of being bullied by peers in middle school. She sought to create an engaging program that would empower young girls to avoid negativity and to speak out against bullying in their own lives. Driven by this mission, Shatina researched the factors contributing to bullying among girls and the negative impact it was having on their development. To deepen her understanding, she partnered for two years with the Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana, observing young girls within their peer groups at school and in extracurricular activities. This experience helped her identify various "bully profiles," including girls who lacked parental guidance, those who felt empowered by bullying, girls seeking popularity, and naturally assertive girls unaware of their bullying behavior.

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From her research and observations, Shatina crafted a core motto, “avoid negativity and embrace creativity,” which has become a foundational element of her programming and curriculum. This motto serves as a reminder for girls to analyze situations thoughtfully, think creatively, and build self-confidence as they confront bullying and other challenges. Her efforts led to the creation of M.E.A.N. (Manage-Emotions-Avoid-Negativity) Girls Empowerment™, a nonprofit organization founded in 2014 that is dedicated to bullying prevention, violence reduction, and mentoring young girls. Through her success in building a program with a proven positive impact on hundreds of girls, Shatina has established a safe, girl-friendly space and network.

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Building on M.E.A.N. Girls Empowerment™, Shatina launched M.E.A.N. Girls University in 2019 to extend her mission to young women ages 18–24. This program, inspired by the same core values, is designed for college-age women, providing them with tools to make healthy choices and to thrive with confidence, courage, and creativity in their personal and professional lives.

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In addition to her service through M.E.A.N. Girls Empowerment™, Shatina is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. She brings expertise in team building, program development, community-based programming, and executive-level strategic planning. Her dedication to youth empowerment has been recognized widely, including a feature on ABC 7 Chicago for her proactive community work. Under her leadership, M.E.A.N. Girls Empowerment™ received the National Bullying Prevention Center's Champion Award in 2022 and the Unity Award in 2023, acknowledging the organization’s impactful contributions.

Shatina holds a Bachelor’s degree in Health Administration from Governors State University (2012) and a Master’s degree in Health Administration from Purdue University (2016). As an entrepreneur, wife, mother, and community leader, Shatina strives to live with purpose and pursue excellence in all areas of her life. She remains dedicated to empowering the next generation, embodying poise and integrity in her commitment to uplifting her community and building a positive legacy.