After graduating as a valedictorian from Dunbar High School, Shannon moved to Northampton, Massachusetts where she would earn a bachelors degree from Smith College.
Shannon then moved from her teaching career to join the federal government at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Shannon would eventually become the National Program Director for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, one of the highest non-appointed roles in the senior executive service.
[8] The Hall of Fame was founded in 2001, and honors those that have made personal sacrifices to improve the civil and human rights of Montgomery County.
She served on numerous boards including the Montgomery Housing Partnership, Harriet’s List, United Way, the Montgomery County Arts Council, the Regional Institute of Children and Adolescents, and the National Political Congress of Black Women.