IRD Women’s Brunch

Join the IRD on March 15th for our Women’s Brunch. We will hear from Gretchen Shappert, Assistant Director at EOUSA.  She will speak on the topic “Christ-Centered Leadership in a Self-Centered Culture.” There will be food, mimosas, and time for networking. Guests are encouraged! The event will take place from 11:00AM – 12:30PM. This event is only for women. If you have any questions email sstewart@theird.org.

Gretchen Shappert

Gretchen Shappert was born and raised in northern Illinois.  She is a graduate of Duke University, where she completed a triple major in History, English, and Political Science.  Ms. Shappert received her law degree from Washington & Lee University School of Law, where she was selected as the first woman managing editor of the law review.  After graduating from law school, she worked for law firms in Raleigh and Charlotte before beginning her career in public service.

Ms. Shappert served as an Assistant Public Defender for 5 ½ years in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg County Public Defender Office before joining the Charlotte-Mecklenburg County District Attorney’s Office.  In the DA’s Office, she served as the “Arson DA” and prosecuted major felonies, including trying two capital murder cases.  After two years in the DA’s Office, she became a federal prosecutor and served for nearly 14 years as an Assistant United States Attorney, in the Western District of North Carolina.  As a federal prosecutor, she prosecuted major drug conspiracies, racketeering organizations, and complex white-collar crime.  Ms. Shappert prosecuted the Outlaws Motorcycle Gang and convicted 21 members of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club.  She also served as the office’s first Anti-Gang Coordinator.

In 2004, Ms. Shappert was selected to serve as the United States Attorney,  the first woman to be confirmed by the Senate as the United States Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.  She continued to carry a caseload as U.S. Attorney, prosecuting organized crime and drug conspiracies. She was selected by the Attorney General to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee  (AGAC) and to serve as Chair of the Native American Issues Subcommittee of U.S. Attorneys. 

In 2009, Ms. Shappert moved to Washington and became the Anti-Gang Coordinator and the Project Safe Neighborhoods Coordinator in the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA).  In 2010, she became an Assistant Director at EOUSA.

In early 2018, at the request of the Attorney General, Ms. Shappert agreed to serve as the United States Attorney for the United States Virgin Islands, a position she held for nearly 4 ½ years.   She returned to Washington in May of 2022 to resume her duties as an Assistant Director at EOUSA.     

Ms. Shappert has published numerous law review articles and has lectured on a variety of topics, including the formation of the Department of Justice.

She is a member of the Anglican Communion and worships at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Alexandria.