Shirley Chen

Shirley Chen and her husband moved to Palo Alto in 2016 so their son could attend schools in the Palo Alto Unified School District. Their son began his PAUSD journey in Young 5’s at Greendell, continued through the Mandarin Immersion program at Ohlone Elementary, and is currently a student at Greene Middle School. Throughout their years in the district, Shirley has been an active classroom volunteer and PTA participant. She currently serves on the Greene Middle School PTA Board as VP of Parent Network.

Before becoming a parent, Shirley earned a B.S. in Hospitality Management from The Ohio State University and built a career across multiple hotel departments, spanning operations and sales. She later shifted her focus to the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer in San Francisco, where she oversaw the event and fundraising efforts. During that time, she worked closely with participants and volunteers, helping to raise millions of dollars that were distributed to local communities.

In her spare time, Shirley can usually be found cheering at her son’s baseball games, walking her dogs, hosting gatherings with friends, or planning the family’s next travel adventure.