Sharlene Whelan is the Director of Professional Learning with the Public School Administrators Association of Nova Scotia (PSAANS), leading the Educational Leadership Consortium of Nova Scotia (ELCNS) as the professional learning branch of the association.
With more than 30 years of experience in Nova Scotia’s public education system, she has served in leadership roles at the school, regional, and provincial levels, including Executive Lead for Leadership Standards with the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. In this role, she guided the implementation of the Nova Scotia Educational Leadership Standards and co-developed the Educational Leader Growth and Assessment (ELGA) process in collaboration with PSAANS.
Her earlier career with the Chignecto Central Regional Centre for Education included roles as family of schools supervisor, principal, vice-principal, literacy mentor, and HR manager. Known for her commitment to equity, collaboration, and evidence-based leadership development, she has co-chaired provincial initiatives supporting system-wide leadership growth and assessment.
As Director of Professional Learning, Sharlene oversees the design and delivery of professional learning opportunities aligned with provincial leadership standards and informed by emerging research, working in close partnership with members, education partners, and community organizations across Nova Scotia.
email address: swhelan@psaans.ca