April is National Volunteer Month. WJCS is so fortunate to have over 250 dedicated volunteers who assist and support our organization in a wide variety of programs.
Shira Stein has been a volunteer in the WJCS Marketing Department since June 2024. “I am in the middle of a career change. To break up the monotony of applying for jobs and to be part of something bigger, I sought a volunteer opportunity,” says Shira. “A friend of a friend connected me to the WJCS Marketing and Communications Department where I’ve been able to use my experience in researching, crafting, and designing content for the agency’s social media channels. As a result of volunteering at WJCS, I’ve become adept at using Canva and am well-versed in best practices on Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, and YouTube. The Communications team is small but mighty and I am grateful to work for an organization with such great impact.”
Shira is originally from Seattle, Washington, but has lived in New York City since 1998 so she considers herself a bona fide New Yorker. She moved to New York to go to college and pursue her dream to be an actor. After graduation, Shira spent her time auditioning and waiting tables, quickly discovering that acting was no longer rewarding or satisfying. In a pivot, she then turned to another passion, education and literacy. She matriculated at Bank Street College of Education and received an M.S. Ed., in 2013. Shira’s career as an educator (2007-2020) included classroom teaching and private reading and writing tutoring. During this period, Shira also became a mom, welcoming a daughter in 2014.
With the advent of the pandemic, Shira re-evaluated her career goals and slowly began a transition away from education and toward editing and proofreading. In November 2024, Shira completed a Certificate in Professional Copyediting, Proofreading, and Fact-checking at New York University’s School of Professional Studies. The program further refined her editing and proofreading expertise, equipping her with advanced tools and techniques for ensuring accuracy and consistency in all written communications. Furthermore, Shira was exposed to the world of publishing, including the workflow of how a book is published, proofreading marks, The Chicago Manual of Style, and collaboration with a diverse team of professionals.
When Shira isn’t volunteering for WJCS, she looks for editorial positions in book publishing. She hopes to focus on copyediting, proofreading, and fact-checking. She also keeps an eye open for editor or writer positions at nonprofit organizations.
Are you interested in volunteering for WJCS? Click here to learn more about WJCS volunteer opportunities and how to apply.
