Shannon has strong roots in Baltimore and has dedicated her career to being a voice for those who are often unable to speak up for themselves.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, where she became a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, and a master’s degree in Communication Management from Morgan State University. After college, Shannon worked as an assignment editor and producer for local news stations in Baltimore. She saw firsthand what was happening on the streets of Baltimore – the good and the bad – and began advocating for people by telling their stories. As a Professor at Coppin State, she empowered her students through the art of public speaking and became a fierce proponent of the importance of public higher education.
Shannon later joined the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development and worked with people across Baltimore to help them find family-sustaining jobs. She then went on to work for Big Brothers Big Sisters to recruit mentors to work with Baltimore’s youth. Shannon is also a 2014 graduate of Emerge Maryland, an organization that works to prepare Democratic women to run for public office.
In 2016, Shannon ran to represent District 13, which includes Armistead Gardens, Belair-Edison, Berea, Butchers Hill, Ellwood Park, McElderry Park, Middle East, Orangeville, and Washington Hill, on the Baltimore City Council, defeated a two-time incumbent and made the commitment to be a full-time councilperson and advocate for the people of Baltimore.
While on the Council, Shannon championed legislation to support City employees, lift up working families and neighborhoods across Baltimore City, and push for and ensure transparency and fairness in City government. She worked tirelessly to ensure that workers received a living wage, fought for the passage of paid leave laws, and worked to expand lactation accommodations.
Most recently, she served as a Regional Director for United States Senator Chris Van Hollen covering the Baltimore region until January 2022.