ISM Consultant and Executive Coach
Shannan shares her expertise in school management, Board/Head relations, hiring, scheduling and new head of school support. She worked in public, private and independent schools for 25 years before joining ISM in 2020.
Shannan’s ISM responsibilities include:
- writing for ISM’s advisory letter Ideas & Perspectives, distributed to school leaders in almost 1,000 schools;
- leading and co-leading ISM workshops in student-centered scheduling, hiring, Head of School support, and new Head of School orientation;
- co-facilitating Head of Boarding School and New Heads Cohorts;
- hosting webinars in the areas of hiring, Head of School support, and change innovation;
- presenting at association conferences;
- conducting national and international on-site consultations; and
- facilitating Board and school leadership retreats.
Shannan previously served as Head of The Swain School, PA, where she executed a strategic plan that included facility renovation and addition, multiple curricular initiatives, auxiliary programming and revenue, increased support services, and the merger with another local independent school.
Before that, she was Assistant Head Friends’ Central School, PA, and the Dean of Faculty at Flint Hill School, VA; where she oversaw the school’s adoption of a 1:1 iPad /MacBook program, an increase in support services, the academic program for grades PS – 12 and development of a comprehensive Maker program. She has also served in division leadership, department chair, and grade level leadership while teaching and coaching.
In addition to working in K-12 schools, Shannan has also served as an adjunct faculty member at The University of Virginia and a presenter at conferences and workshops across North America on various topics.
Shannan earned her Doctorate of Education at The University of Virginia, and her master’s degree in Private School Leadership at The Klingenstein Center, Columbia University. Shannan’s two bachelor’s degrees are in Mathematics and Secondary Education from Vanderbilt University.