American Values 2024 Up Close: Debra Sheldon, Head of Special Projects

By Deb Sur, The Kennedy Beacon

By Deb Sur, The Kennedy Beacon

Growing up in a small working-class town on the Hudson River in upstate New York, Debra Sheldon early on discovered the work of the famous American landscape painter Frederic Edwin Church.

 When she looked at the river’s banks and natural coastlines, she realized that they no longer reflected the paintings. She saw how the highway that had been built separated the town’s inhabitants from the river and made it inaccessible and how the river had become too dirty to swim in. She remembers asking herself, “Where is the beautiful, idyllic Hudson River Valley?” 

Years later, she discovered Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s compelling advocacy for protecting the Hudson River. “I felt like one of the answers to my childhood pinings was kind of partly ignited with his work,” she recalled. 

As she got to know Kennedy’s work, Sheldon loved how he stood up for people whose livelihoods were threatened along with their lifelong connections to the Hudson. A proponent of sustainability and stewardship of nature, Sheldon, who was then the Director of Programs at the Citizens Committee, even considered pursuing a degree in environmental law at Pace University to be enrolled in one of Kennedy’s classes. 

Sheldon has been passionate about making a difference by closely associating with strategic planning work that helps improve civic life. 

After spending time in Kathmandu, Nepal, Sheldon returned to New York City to work in the recovery efforts team as a community relations liaison at the American Red Cross after 9/11. She was later the Nationwide Benefits Coordinator, where she provided assistance to coordinators across the United States to help those impacted by the tragedy access benefits, among other duties. 

In 2003, she began working at the City of New York and the Office of Emergency Management as a Disaster Outreach and Education Coordinator. In 2005, she joined the Citizens Committee for New York City as the Director of Programs where she focused on strategic planning, evaluation, and development of citywide neighborhood-based programs to focus on a better quality of life. 

Apart from her continued strategic planning gigs, Sheldon has been involved in the Health Freedom movement since 2019. Through such work, she has developed a deeper understanding of Kennedy.

Now a mother to two sons, Sheldon leads Special Projects at American Values 2024, the super PAC supporting Kennedy’s presidential run. She began working on the National Outreach team; now she deals with a “bit of everything” as she says, including design and branding; and helping with the Kennedy caravan that has been visiting major cities while promoting Kennedy’s ideas. 

Sheldon began advocating for Kennedy even before she was hired by American Values. Over the summer, she spent at least four days a week in New Hampshire, engaging with locals to understand what they were looking for in a leader. “I became an expert in New Hampshire,” Sheldon laughed.

She sported a Kennedy shirt, which sparked curiosity among those who did not know much about Kennedy and his vision for America. 

She gained expertise in the different areas of the state, developing an understanding of how Democrats, Republicans, and independents were responding to the candidates as she began collecting field data about people’s experiences, especially with respect to Kennedy. 

Sheldon put a lot of effort into her grassroots awareness campaign, talking to countless potential voters at beaches and farmer’s markets, and posing thoughtful and conversational questions. She also visited NH Secretary of State David Scanlan to discuss Kennedy’s efforts to challenge Biden in a primary. 

According to her research, running as a Democratic candidate was a hindrance to Kennedy as many people did not want to register as a Democrat just to be able to vote for Kennedy. “I wish he wasn't a Democrat. I wish he was running as an independent,” Sheldon remembers people saying.

She added, “But people loved him and the thing that attracted most people to Bobby is that he was standing with us through the lockdowns that destroyed so many people's livelihoods and health.”

Months after as she began working for American Values, Sheldon realized that Kennedy had become more visible as people started hearing and educating themselves about his campaign. His message has resonated with Americans concerned about the quality of life in America ––– with inflation impacting their ability to feed their families, pay rent, or buy a home. “People really like his message around bringing people together and are tired of the corrosive kind of culture that's been created with the two parties,” she said. 

Kennedy’s vocal opposition to the country’s military-industrial complex has also helped people relate to him more. “There are so many people suffering in America, and we are spending billions on a warfare machine? That message definitely resonated with the people,” she said.

Sheldon continues to travel across the country, engaging with people and spreading the word about Kennedy’s campaign and the work she and others are doing at American Values 2024.

“We prioritize truncated debates over true dialogue,” Sheldon lamented. She said both Biden’s and Trump’s refusal to engage in party debates ahead of the presidential elections is one of the major problems stopping the country from finding common ground. But as she spoke with The Kennedy Beacon, Sheldon’s spirited optimism radiated. 

“I think the major shift is that people are starting to feel a sense of optimism that Bobby is a viable candidate, and has a clear path to victory,” she said. “That's a major shift and the data supports it,” she added, referring to recent polls.

Hopeful for a Kennedy win, Sheldon dreams of a “spiritually revitalized America” where unity triumphs over division.