Her Story
About Shannon
My passion for philanthropy and community engagement began through service experiences in high school and college. Since 2014, I have participated in more than a dozen service trips and volunteer initiatives, including projects in Haiti, Peru, California, Tennessee, and my local community. Those experiences sparked a lasting commitment to giving back and helping others create meaningful impact.
I began my career in the nonprofit sector with Boston Cares, an organization that connects volunteers with nonprofits and schools throughout the Greater Boston area. While I valued that work, my experience as a student at Stonehill College inspired me to pursue a career in higher education. I saw firsthand how transformative a college experience can be and wanted to contribute to institutions that invest so deeply in their students and communities.
Two years ago, I joined Northeastern University to lead its annual Giving Day campaign. Since then, I have helped execute two successful campaigns, including the most recent Giving Day, which engaged approximately 15,000 donors. One of the most rewarding aspects of my work is seeing alumni, parents, students, faculty, staff, and friends come together in support of the university's mission.
My professional expertise is in annual giving and donor engagement within higher education. I enjoy helping donors connect their philanthropic interests with opportunities to make an impact, regardless of gift size. Outside of my professional role, I continue to stay connected to the nonprofit sector through my service on the Associate Board of Boston Cares, maintaining a strong commitment to volunteerism and community engagement.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Shannon
01What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I think just, you know, think about your amazing experiences that you had at your alma mater when you were doing your education experiences, and how can you be able to give that back to future students or future colleagues. Just continue to take out the best parts of a college experience or a higher education experience and to continue to give that back and make it live on, make legacy live on. And just celebrate the importance of education and a great experience there.
02What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I think just in general, higher education continues to face lots of difficulties with ever-changing policies and different things to adhere to with the changing worlds that we're in and the country that we're in. But it's really great to be able to feel grounded back to an important mission of celebrating the importance of philanthropy and those that do continue to give back to their university, even in this really difficult time, and rising tuition costs and all of that that comes with the world of higher ed.
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