Shefali Kapoor

Visiting Toronto Metropolitan University

Spring 2026

Shefali Kapoor has 20 years of experience in local government, in particular working in neighbourhoods and with communities to deliver positive change in places where they live.

As Director of Communities at the Manchester City Council, Shefali leads a number of services responsible for delivering local priorities; including responsibility for a citywide Neighbourhood Management function (including community development), Cohesion, Community Safety, Compliance and Enforcement, Emergency Planning and Youth, Play and Participation. She is the lead responsible officer for a number of programmes of work including the delivery of the city’s first social cohesion strategy and developing a city wide approach to community power, resident participation and engagement.

During the riots and disorder that took place in the summer of 2024, Shefali led on the community response, including working with colleagues to develop engagement strategies to reach less seen communities.

Shefali holds a BA(Hons) in Urban Studies and is a Non Executive Director at Southway Housing Trust.

Research focus while a Civil Society and Public Administration Fellow

Shefali will focus on the use of social media and digital platforms as a form of partcipation. Most recently these spaces have been seen as places that foster harm. She is interested in exploring how these spaces can be reclaimed for positive participation and how we can ensure that participation is truly representative and inclusive, especially in areas where racialised minorities are the majority.