Senior Director of Expect Respect
Shannon is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with over 20 years of experience working with students, families and schools. Shannon earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master’s of Science in Counseling Psychology with additional specializations in school-based counseling and family counseling. In addition to working in school-based counselor roles for many years, Shannon opened up new counseling centers in Boston and Cambridge MA public schools, co-created National Teen Dating Violence and Awareness Month and co-founded a small youth-led nonprofit organization, The Cipher-Austin’s Hip Hop Project.
Shannon has served as a member of Austin’s Youth Initiative for Undoing Racism (created by Angelica Benton-Molina and with participation from The People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond), the Austin/Travis County Family Violence Task Force and Youth Issues Committee, and the Travis County Adolescent Health Collaborative. Shannon has also partnered with A CALL TO MEN, Futures Without Violence and worked at the National Domestic Violence Hotline. Shannon’s interests include working with youth who are involved in multiple systems including foster care and juvenile court as well as empowering youth who have experienced trafficking and exploitation. Shannon’s expertise lies with issues relating to interpersonal violence, youth leadership, community organizing, school based counseling and arts/activism work. Shannon believes that youth can not only heal from abuse but also need opportunities to lead. We are incredibly excited to have Shannon on our team!
