Originally from the Boston area, Sheila Decter holds an Master's degree in political science from the University of Wisconsin. She has had a long career working for Jewish communal organizations, including a 23-year tenure at the American Jewish Congress, New England Region. She later served as executive director of the Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action until her retirement in 2017. In the 1970s she worked to keep the movement for Soviet Jewry in the news day after day, year after year. She also lobbied state and national officeholders to secure their support for the movement.