As senior vice president of community impact, Shannon oversees United Way’s grantmaking strategy, strategic community partnerships, coalition building and systems change with a focus on strengthening the connective tissues of our work while keeping the community voice centered in everything we do.
 
Prior to joining the team at United Way, Shannon spent six years as the executive director of Hope Community, a nonprofit organization focused on community building through housing, organizing, art, food and leadership development. She has extensive experience working at local nonprofits, including Urban Homeworks, Sabathani Community Center and Pillsbury United Communities.
 
A devoted volunteer and community leader, Shannon serves on numerous boards and committees, including the Minneapolis Institute of Art Board of Trustees, the Advisory Committee for the Minnesota Business Coalition for Racial Equity, and the Community Advisory Board for Mapping Prejudice.
 
She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in family social science from the University of Minnesota and a Master of Arts degree in leadership and management from Concordia University, St. Paul. She is currently an adjunct professor at the University of Minnesota Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs, where she teaches Neighborhood Revitalization Strategies and Theories.
 
Shannon is a lifelong resident of North Minneapolis where she sings in the church choir, enjoys having Sunday dinner with her family, solving puzzles and, like any Minnesotan, loves spending time in a boat on the lakes.