Shannon is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Chesapeake College, and previously held a variety of academic and governmental positions, including several years as an analyst in the U.S. Department of Commerce, while earning her MPP in Education, Family, and Social Policy from Georgetown University. Her research focuses on the emerging role and impact of the community college sector on a broad array of education outcomes, especially for individuals from underrepresented populations facing the growing national and international demand for greater postsecondary education.