Eloilda "Ellie" Padilla Shea

Words cannot do justice to the pain our WALAP family experienced shortly after returning home from our second WLLE conference. One of our WALAP ladies, Lieutenant Eloilda "Ellie" Shea, was shot and killed by her estranged husband on Monday, October 14, 2024. Lt. Shea, just 39 years old, joined the Orange County Sheriff’s Office in 2011, quickly making her mark as a compassionate law enforcement officer, rising star and friend to so many she worked with. Full of life, she lit up every room she entered with her infectious, bubbly personality, beautiful spirit and kind smile. Ellie was a mentor, teacher, advocate, protector, cheerleader and an inspiration to women aspiring to be leaders. As a dedicated, loving mommy of two little girls, she served her community with grace, integrity and pride. Her presence is profoundly missed.

Ellie's Dream

In our grief, we looked for a way for Ellie to live on in WALAP. As one of the original creators of the WALAP idea, Ellie told us she wanted to make WALAP her “thing,” even after she retired from law enforcement. She was committed to paving the way for women leaders, recognizing the challenges we all faced before we arrived at our destination. Ellie showed us how to be kind, lift each other up, and see the best in people—against all odds. Our quest is for Ellie’s legacy to live on in WALAP and propel women leaders to great heights. With this goal in mind, we strive to create a foundation worthy of her name. One that provides resources and support to women leaders that embody Ellie’s character. As we continue to grow as an organization, we will work together to develop a metric for a future scholarship in Ellie’s honor. We are excited at the prospect of bringing Ellie’s dream to life…