Speaker Bio

Shauna has extensive experience in human services and nonprofit productivity. She has been an advocate for youth, women of domestic violence, women transitioning from prison, and suicide prevention in Muskegon County for years. 

Shauna recently took on the role as Executive Director position at Pathfinders. Before then, she served as the company’s Site Coordinator. Through this experience, she formed relationships with participants and community leaders, and she implemented ideas that improved youth programming and day-to-day productivity. Her tenure at Pathfinders has also included establishing a social media marketing campaign that gave the company an online platform and presence, further connecting it with the community.

Prior to her work at Pathfinders, Shauna worked 12 years at the Muskegon Family YMCA serving as the Director of Christian Emphasis and Social Responsibility. In that role, she assisted with income-based programs and implemented a day of prayer, a prayer walk, a volunteer department, the M.O.V.E (Making Overt Violence End) March, and many additional ministries. She also taught youth classes and supervised day-to-day front desk operations. 

Outside of work, Shauna has served as a Child Abuse Prevention Training Instructor, YMCA Certified Diabetes Prevention Life Coach, and Certified Red Cross Babysitting Youth Training Instructor. She even created an anti-bullying program that was used for youth outreach and development. 

Shauna has also been the Site Coordinator of the Muskegon YMCA Evening Recreation Program at Muskegon High School for five years. This program serves 200+ youth every day during the summer. She has used the opportunity to engage many organizations and community members with urban youth in Muskegon County. 

Shauna also serves on the ministerial staff at Antioch Baptist Church in Muskegon Heights.

Shauna’s prior board affiliations included the Muskegon Teen Health Center Parent Advisory Board and the Muskegon Public Schools Poppen Music & Fine Arts Scholarship Board. 

Shauna is dedicated to the growth of Muskegon County youth and families. Her goals are to continue personal development, expand community engagement, and implement new programming to benefit the holistic wellness of every child and family that crosses her path. She lives by two mottos: “It’s never a bad day; only bad circumstances” and “I don’t need the spotlight; I just want to be a light in the spot.” 

Shauna is looking forward to being a speaker at the BE Event because she wants to share the passion and home she has for our community’s future generation. She believes that anyone can BE whatever they want to be with the right tools to overcome barriers. She wants others to gain momentum in encouraging, engaging, and empowering our youth — because it does take a village, after all.