Shelley Facente, PhD, MPH - Facente Consulting

Shelley was trained in sociology at Ithaca College in Ithaca, NY, and subsequently received her Master of Public Health, with a concentration in Health and Social Behavior and a specialty in multicultural studies, and a PhD in Epidemiology from the University of California, Berkeley. Immediately following her MPH training she began work for the San Francisco Department of Public Health, assisting community-based organizations to plan and implement rapid HIV testing programs. Since founding Facente Consulting in 2009, Shelley’s content focus has expanded beyond HIV testing and prevention to include hepatitis C, harm reduction, and programs designed to improve the lives of people who use drugs, or are unhoused or unstably housed. She is also an adjunct assistant professor at UC Berkeley’s School of Public Health, teaching program planning to MPH and DrPH students each spring.

Link to CV

Related Projects:

Impact Evaluation of a California Reducing Disparities Project (CRDP) to Improve LGBTQ+ Mental Health

Facente Consulting was contracted to serve as the lead evaluator for this local mental health-focused impact evaluation, with primary responsibility for designing and implementing a local evaluation plan, managing IRB approvals and human subject concerns, overseeing data collection, and conducting a quantitative analysis of local participant data.

Collective Impact Backbone Support and Data Analysis to Eliminate Hepatitis C

Facente Consulting was hired during the formation of End Hep C SF to provide “backbone support” for this collective impact initiative, assist with strategic planning, and lead research and surveillance activities to monitor progress toward hepatitis C elimination.

Development of WHO/UNAIDS Technical Guidance for Use of HIV Recency Assays

The World Health Organization hired Facente Consulting to lead a team of subject matter experts who systematically reviewed existing evidence about the use of HIV recency assays for public health surveillance, and write an updated technical guidance document for use by countries around the world.

Strategic Planning to Expand Scope and Refocus on Health Justice

Facente Consulting was selected by the San Francisco AIDS Foundation to lead a year-long strategic planning process that would incorporate the input of more than 200 staff and over 800 donors, volunteers, clients, and external stakeholders, ushering the Foundation into a new era of expanded work and a focus on health justice.

Developing and Evaluating a Philanthropic Giving Strategy for Gilead Foundation

Facente Consulting is helping Gilead Foundation develop a theory of change and evaluation strategy for their three-year, $20 million initiative to advance education equity throughout the United States.

Creating a Harm Reduction Curriculum Infusion Package for University Professors

Facente Consulting helped develop a harm reduction infusion package to support support college professors in infusing harm reduction framework and methodology into course curricula.

Strategic Planning for the Population Health Workforce Branch of CDC

Facente Consulting helped CDC’s Public Health Workforce Branch to strategically plan the development of the CDC’s scientific workforce, including managing rapid growth, improving DEI and accessibility, and effectively evaluating the work of the Branch.

MethTaskForce - Photo Courtesy Supervisor Mandelman's office

Facilitation of the Mayor’s Methamphetamine Task Force

Facente Consulting was hired to plan and facilitate the Methamphetamine Task Force created by San Francisco Mayor London Breed, composed of medical and public health professionals, substance use disorder treatment providers, emergency responders, criminal justice and law enforcement officials, drug policy experts, and people who use or have used methamphetamine.

Evaluation for CDC-Funded Syringe Service Program Vaccine Scale-Up

Facente Consulting conducted a program evaluation for CDC-funded syringe service programs working to scale up vaccine delivery capacity at their programs.

Assessment of San Francisco’s Clinical Implementation of Long-Acting Injectable PrEP and ART

Facente Consulting was hired to conceptualize and complete an assessment of clinical implementation efforts for LAI PrEP and ART.

Development of a Food Organizing Structure for San Francisco

Facente Consulting worked with the Office of Anti-Racism & Equity at the San Francisco Department of Public Health to support the development of recommendations for a new structure and model for food organizing in San Francisco.

Strategic Support for the California Overdose Prevention and Harm Reduction Initiative

Facente Consulting provided strategic support gathering data and stakeholder input and developed a document to guide NHRC’s internal infrastucture and capacity-building work.

Facilitation of the Community Advisory Team for RTI International’s Strengthening Syringe Services Project

Facente Consulting is facilitating a newly formed Community Advisory Team that will guide the Strengthening Syringe Services project, led by RTI International.

UNAIDS Terminology Guidelines Updates

Facente Consulting worked with UNAIDS and global partners to update their terminology guidelines, which provide common definitions of basic terms and concepts related to HIV response.

Strategic Planning to Manage Impending Budget Cuts

Unlike in the last round of strategic planning we did with them in 2021, in 2024 Hamilton Families wanted a scaled down strategic plan refresh, with review and updates to the priorities in the prior plan and a focus on managing expected budget cuts.

Syringe Services Programs Best Practices Tool Development

Facente Consulting was hired to create a set of performance standards to provide guidance and best practices for public health departments, community-based organizations, and community stakeholders/service providers around the country as they developed and expanded syringe services programs in their areas.

Goal Setting and Program Planning for a Permanent Supportive Housing Provider

Facente Consulting worked with Alameda Point Collaborative to support a small-scale strategic planning process and the development of a theory of change, with the goal of reviewing key initiatives and centering resident feedback as they enter into an era of growth and redevelopment of housing projects.

Skills Training for Graduate Students in Historically Disadvantaged Universities (HDUs) in South Africa

Facente Consulting is working with the Desmond Tutu Health Foundation to strengthen PhD training capacity among faculty and trainees at two of South Africa’s eight designated Historically Disadvantaged Universities (HDUs).

Mission, Vision, and Values Development for a Bay Area Training Center

The Bay Area, North, & Central Coast (BANCC) region of the Pacific AIDS Education and Training Center hired Facente Consulting to develop a regional set of mission, vision, and values statements, along with some planning of strategic priorities for a new era of federal funding.

Needs Assessment for Contingency Management Services in San Francisco

Facente Consulting supported the San Francisco Department of Public Health in conducting an assessment of the current landscape of access to contingency management in San Francisco and opportunities for expansion by conducting and analyzing interviews and focus groups with people engaged in treatment.

Community Engagement to Support Development of a Meaningful HIV and STD Prevention RFP

Before the release of a major Request for Proposals (RFP) for all HIV and STD prevention services in LA County, Facente Consulting helped the Division of HIV and STD Programs conduct a series of listening sessions to hear from providers and consumers about their needs and hopes for the future.