Greater Seattle Area
Alice Shobe is a global social impact leader who has spent her career helping organizations build what matters—across sectors, at scale. In 2017, she founded Amazon's community impact function and spent nearly a decade growing it into a team operating across 55 countries, establishing food security, education, disaster relief, volunteerism, and affordable housing as global corporate priorities. Her signature achievement: Amazon's $3.4 billion Housing Fund, which will finance more than 35,000 affordable apartments. Before Amazon, Alice served as CEO of multiple U.S.-based nonprofits, partnered with the Gates and Annie E. Casey Foundations, and held roles in local government. She has served on nonprofit and for-profit boards and is known for showing up at inflection points—stabilizing, building, and moving organizations forward with clarity and purpose. Alice grew up chasing pucks on hockey skates in Michigan. These days, you'll find her in Seattle on a pickleball court, a yoga mat, or in her kayak.
Building on progress in the U.S., Alice was elevated to report to a SVP and now leads Amazon's global community social impact programs. The 90+ person team builds programs using Amazon’s scale and products including its retail gateway, last mile delivery, devices, cloud technologies, and balance sheet. The team also allocates millions of dollars and donated products to support education, food security, disaster relief, and employee volunteer programs. Marquee programs include Amazon’s $3.4 billion Housing Equity Fund (below-market financing and grants to produce 20,000 affordable apartments), Amazon Future Engineer (computer science education opportunities to 6 million+ global underrepresented and under-served students), and Community Delivery (delivers 30 million+ donated meals a year).
Hired to start Amazon’s social impact programs in the United States with an initial focus on Seattle, Washington - the headquarters location. Established Amazon's investment priorities (STEM and computer science education, affordable housing, food insecurity, and disaster relief). With a small start-up team, launched marquee programs in other U.S. locations including Amazon's newly established second headquarters location in Arlington, Virginia.
Stabilized Seattle’s largest nonprofit low-income housing provider after the sudden departure of its executive and deputy directors. Updated five-year strategic plan to include specific strategies and measurable goals, broke ground on two new affordable housing development projects, and raised $1.9 million in a private offering.
Provided leadership coaching and facilitation for clients, including: Annie E. Casey Foundation (Baltimore, MD), Feeding America (Chicago, IL), Cook Inlet Tribal Council (Anchorage, AK), First Place for Youth (Oakland, CA), Jewish Family Service (Seattle, WA), City of Seattle Human Services Department, and Pacific Hospital Public Development Authority (Seattle, WA).
Executive leadership of nonprofit intermediary organization addressing homelessness in Washington State. ($4+ million annual operating budget, 30 employees, and 18 board members). Contributed to a 30% reduction (2006-2014) in statewide family homelessness, implemented a $60 million system change effort funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, successfully lobbied for $14 million in legislative allocations to the Washington Youth & Families Fund, and conceived and implemented workforce pilot to connect homeless youth and adults with jobs at Amazon.