About Us & Our Team
How We Make a Difference
Since 1995 SMLr, Inc.
providing custom designed management and staff development programs onsite and online
Certifications
New York City MWBE & EBE Certified
Nassau County MBE Certified
New York State SDVOB (Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned business)
Port Authority New York & New Jersey MBE Certified
Our Team
desander Más
Desander Más, President of Shields Mas Learning Resources, Inc., is course developer, facilitator and keynote speaker. He has more than 30 years experience providing staff and management courses to City Government, Universities and the private sector. Among the courses developed and implemented are customer service programs implemented by thousands of supervisors and front line personnel of the Agencies of the City of New York and the Colleges and professional Schools of the City University of New York (CUNY).
Carol Shields
Carol is the co-founder of SMLR, Inc. and Vice President of Administration. A Baruch graduate and former stock analyst, Carol co-launched SMLR, Inc., with Desander in 1994. In addition to managing operations for SMLR, she has for the last 20 years provided clients, such as the National Labor & Management Conference, with her expertise in managing client conferences.
Devin Shields-Mas
Devin Shields-Mas is a business development consultant and facilitator with Shields Mas Learning Resources (SMLR), where he supports the design and delivery of high-impact workshops, trainings, and advisory engagements. He brings deep, real-world operating experience to SMLR’s work with organizations seeking to strengthen leadership, communication, and performance through practical, results-driven learning.
With over a decade of experience driving revenue growth across business enterprises, Devin most recently served as National Director of Business Development, leading national expansion, enterprise partnerships, and market development initiatives across commercial real estate technology, SaaS, and sports management. He contributes a practitioner’s perspective to SMLR’s consulting and instructional programs.
As a consultant to SMLR, Devin leverages his background in building teams, scaling sales organizations, and executing growth strategies to translate theory into application. His work enhances SMLR’s offerings by grounding leadership development, sales effectiveness, and professional communication workshops in real operating environments—ensuring participants leave with tools they can apply immediately.
Devin is a graduate of New York University with a degree in Business Communications, a foundation that informs his focus on clear messaging, persuasive storytelling, and effective professional interaction. His combined experience as an operator and advisor strengthens SMLR’s ability to deliver learning experiences that are practical, relevant, and outcome-focused.
Charis Warchal
Charis Warchal, M.A., is an award-winning corporate communicator, writer, strategic planner, media professional, and branding/reputation advisor. Charis' expertise is in strategic executive messaging and customer/sales and employee education communications aligned to brand values and standards. She supports organizations with critical communications, including annual reports, corporate responsibility reviews, white papers, and policy handbooks. She has worked with brands such as Verizon, Barclays, and many other Enterprise and Small Businesses.
Christine Shields
Christine Shields, JD, provides her expertise in consulting and facilitation in learning & development to a spectrum of diversified organizations that include City Government, Universities and the private sector. Christine has practiced law for more than 30 years litigating in New York and Federal Courts, and in her spare time has a private practice in Elder Law and estates and Trusts.
Justin Cellini
Justin Cellini brings over 15 years of instructional experience, specializing in curriculum design, multimedia learning, and the integration of emerging technologies in the classroom. His work is dedicated to making complex learning, social and historical concepts accessible to diverse learners through structured frameworks, engaging media, and thoughtfully scaffolded instruction.
In addition to his classroom teaching, Justin publishes curriculum-aligned content on online platforms such as YouTube, utilizing his skills in audio and video production to reinforce key concepts and extend academic support to a broader audience.
His professional interests include leveraging artificial intelligence to streamline curriculum development, enhance differentiation, and increase access to instructional resources. Justin creates high-impact learning materials, including modular lessons, interactive assessments, and documentary-style instructional videos.
Justin holds both a B.A. and an M.A. from Stony Brook University, where he studied history and political science. His commitment to instructional innovation and media-rich pedagogy aligns with his broader mission to foster historical literacy, analytical thinking skills, and a curiosity about the world.
Chelsea Shields-Más
Chelsea Shields-Más, PhD, specializes in instructional design with more than 10 years experience as a college professor in creating innovative instructional techniques in the classroom. Techniques that motivate participants to increase their awareness and apply learned skills in their personal and professional lives.