Get to Know Shannon

What about NCRC excites you the most? 

We have a truly outstanding staff and volunteers. They are excellent mediators and good people. It’s also not out of order to say that we are in the midst of trying times, globally and locally. NCRC’s focus on conflict resolution and mediation is so vital and meaningful. It feels like a larger calling and mission. 

What are you most excited about achieving with NCRC in the next year?

I am excited about embarking on a strategic planning process and envisioning NCRC’s future. Additionally, our program delivery model changed so much during the pandemic and the years that followed, I am also looking forward to settling into remote mediation as the new normal. We have grown tremendously in terms of access and in several counties across Tennessee.

What has been your favorite moment in the past month?

Watching our staff celebrate successful mediations and come together to support each other in tough situations. 

What drives your leadership style? 

I lean toward collaboration in decision making. The staff might tell you I never stop talking about the enneagram and I like using tools like that to build relationships and collaboration. I often say, “my first reaction isn’t my last” because I like to hear everyone’s opinions and then I am comfortable stepping in to make the final call. 

Who/what has shaped your approach to leadership?

I have worked for some wonderful people and I have also had my fair share of challenges. I always respected the leaders who were most able to articulate the “why” in a situation even if they had tough decisions to make. I believe a team is stronger when they can collaborate and show respect even when they don’t agree. I am so grateful to the women, in particular, I have worked with in my career who showed me the way and built me up even when we had very different styles or personalities. That is the kind of leader I hope to be.

What values are most important to you as a leader?

I believe in transparency, mutual respect, and clarity. I won’t hold any of my staff to a standard I can’t also achieve and that includes demonstrating healthy boundaries and accountability. Nonprofit employees and mediators change lives every day and we have to take care of the people who do that work.

What is a favorite place in Nashville?

Probably Beaman Park. I live close by and I spend a lot of time hiking and gardening and out in nature. It’s the first place I took my son hiking when he was 3 months old.

Where can we find you when you’re not at work?

In this season, you’d find me in the garden at home or snuggling with my son on the couch. I am never without a gardening goal.

What book are you reading?

Comfort of Crows by Margaret Renkl. I love the soothing cadence of her writing and she’s local to Nashville.