Sheela Patel is the Director of the Society for Promotion of Area Resource Centres (SPARC), an NGO established in 1984 that supports community organizations of the urban poor in their efforts to secure housing, basic amenities, and their right to the city. Since 1999, she has also served as Secretary and Chief Executive of SPARC Samudaya Nirman Sahayak (SSNS), a non-profit company dedicated to helping slum communities undertake construction projects, enabling slum dwellers to build homes and sanitation facilities.

Sheela Patel is widely recognized for bringing urban poverty and inclusion issues to the attention of governments, international agencies, foundations, and other organizations. Her advocacy has significantly influenced international understanding of how governments can engage with informal settlements.

She is a key figure in Slum Dwellers International (SDI), an international network of grassroots organizations of the urban poor and supporting NGOs across Asia, Africa, and Latin America. In 2014, SDI helped 14 million people in over 500 cities save money, collect data, build houses and infrastructure, and strengthen relationships with local and national authorities.

Sheela Patel obtained a Master's degree in Social Work from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences in 1974. She has co-founded and coordinated numerous national and international organizations, including Swayam Shikshan Prayog (SSP), the Asian Coalition of Housing Rights, Slum/Shack Dwellers International (SDI), and the Asian Women and Shelter Network. She also serves on various national and international advisory boards.

Her contributions to ameliorating urban poverty have been widely acknowledged. She received the David Rockefeller Bridging Leadership Award in 2009 and the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian honor in India, in 2011 for her services to social work.