About the Founder

Lynette Shelborne-Barfield

Founder & Chief Engagement Officer, Girls Who Wear Glasses, Inc.

Lynette Shelborne-Barfield is a proud daughter of the Rockaways, Queens, New York, and the Founder and Chief Engagement Officer of Girls Who Wear Glasses, Inc. Through the organization, she blends elegance with purpose, leading workshops in etiquette, social graces, and personal and professional development that help youth and adults show up with confidence in every room they enter.

Lynette brings more than a decade of leadership in city and state government to this work, along with a wealth of experience in educational leadership and family and youth engagement. She served as Director of Strategic Partnerships for the New York City Council and as Director of Special Projects for the New York State Senate, where she built partnerships with nonprofits, schools, agencies, and faith-based institutions, led a district internship and mentorship program, and designed community workshops that connected thousands of New Yorkers with essential resources.

Her foundation, however, was built in the classroom. As a NYC public school educator, math coach, and curriculum specialist, she designed professional development series, coached teachers, and facilitated workshops for parents and administrators. That experience taught her the value of patience, measurable growth, and a supportive learning environment, principles that shape every Girls Who Wear Glasses session today.

A licensed minister and evangelist, Lynette founded Living Hope Ministry for Outreach and Evangelism after Superstorm Sandy, creating a local hope center that offered spiritual and practical support to her community in a time of crisis. Lynette recently completed her certification requirements and is now a member of the NYC Emergency Response Team. Her service has been recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award for Volunteer Service from AmeriCorps and the Office of the President of the United States, a Woman of Distinction Award, and honors from the National Council of Negro Women.

Lynette is a graduate of the historic Wilberforce University and a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, and the National Council of Negro Women. She served as Vice President and later President of the Far Rockaway Branch of the NAACP, and as an Inaugural Board Member of the Rockaway YMCA, chairing its Program and Membership committees. The proud mother of two adult children, she is known as a teacher, preacher, and dynamic motivational speaker. Whatever the room, her goal remains the same: to be a vessel God can use to help others grow into their best selves.

Lynette Shelborne-Barfield
Founder and Chief Engagement Officer
Girls Who Wear Glasses, Inc.
Leadership experience across the NYC Council, NYS Senate, and NYC Department of Education