MEET THE PRESIDENT
Sharlee Jeter is president of The Turn 2 Foundation, a non-profit established by Derek Jeter in 1996 to help young people reach their full potential by fostering leadership development, academic achievement, healthy lifestyles and social change.
Since she assumed leadership of Turn 2 in 2010, Sharlee has taken the Foundation to new heights, elevating its profile across the country while successfully channeling its fundraising power to achieve staggering results, as demonstrated by its signature Jeter's Leaders initiative. For 17 consecutive years, 100% of high school students have graduated from the Jeter's Leaders program and attended college. Through an internship initiative Sharlee helped create, Turn 2 has placed high school students in 181 paid internships at various world-class organizations over the years. In 2017, Turn 2 permanently endowed its fourth college scholarship, the UNCF/Sharlee Jeter Scholarship, which is awarded annually to a Jeter's Leaders graduate to attend a Historically Black College or University (HBCU). In 2019, Turn 2 donated $100,000 to UNCF to help fund scholarships for eligible high school graduates attending HBCUs, and Sharlee was honored by the organization with the Keeper of the Flame award.
In addition to her role at Turn 2, Sharlee is vice president of strategy and development for Jeter Ventures, which encompasses Derek's full portfolio of business operations. She also oversees the children and adult divisions of Jeter Publishing, an imprint of Simon & Schuster launched in 2013 that has released New York Times Bestseller The Contract, its follow-up, Hit & Miss, and Change Up. Additionally, Sharlee serves on the Women's National Basketball Players Association's Board of Advocates.
Sharlee is co-author of a powerful book with Dr. Sampson Davis titled, The STUFF: Unlock Your Power to Overcome Challenges, Soar and Succeed. The STUFF was inspired by the authors' own personal challenges and is intended to empower readers to recognize their own strength and potential to succeed.
Sharlee began her involvement with The Turn 2 Foundation in 1996 as a high school volunteer. At the age of 18, she was named to the board of directors. In 2002, she joined the Foundation full-time as program director, developing a number of successful initiatives, including a partnership with The St. Joseph's School for the Deaf in the Bronx that led to the integration of the deaf into many Turn 2 programs and events in New York and Michigan. Sharlee was promoted to director of development in 2004, and in 2007, she was named vice president. Recognized as a champion for young people and social change, Sharlee is the recipient of the One Hundred Black Men's Jackie Robinson and Community Impact Award and has been named as a Notable Black Leader and Executive by Crain’s New York Business and a Nonprofit Power Player by Politics NY and amNY Metro.
Born and raised in Kalamazoo, Mich., Sharlee graduated in 1997 from Kalamazoo Central High School and received a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics in 2001 from Spelman College in Atlanta. Sharlee currently resides in New Jersey with her son, Jalen.
