Shannon Mcdowell Email & Phone Number

The majority of my career has been in Higher Education, Non-Profit Organizations, and the Fine Arts. Working full-time for three different university systems has given me the knowledge and resources to not only work in my chosen field of study, but to stay connected to my passion in the world of the arts, education, and nonprofit management.I began my career at Palm Beach State College, at their Eissey theatre, as a teenager - a stage hand who worked my way up to managing the entire theatre 'back of house' as the Technical Director. In addition to Stage Managing and designing the lighting for the the shows we contracted, I also maintained the scheduling & calendars; assigned and trained team members; advanced show requirements with clients; created crew quotes and labor reports; would troubleshoot equipment failure; and at various times operated all the positions in our house. Looking beyond my Technical Theatre experience, my love of singing and performing began at the age of 4, leading me to attend a nationally recognized Performing Arts high school. At 14 years old I was part of a Professional Shakespeare Festival and was fortunate to work with them for 6 years. In moving past Musical Theatre for a time, I studied Classical Music while attending college in pursuit of a Music degree while singing professionally with the Palm Beach Opera. Then, in pursuit of continuing to quench my thirst for knowledge, I went back to school and completed my BA in Arts Administration with a 4.0 GPA at UMASS Amherst. All of my time on the stage and behind the scenes needed to be balanced with the front of house operations of marketing, fundraising, strategic planning, etc. All of which I had been a part of, but am now more equipped to face in every capacity.Since then, I sought to continue my education and complete my Master of Arts in Public Relations. Strategic communication is of the utmost important both professionally and personally, and I believe no matter what we think we know - there is always more to learn. As the Director of Admissions in a state facing healthcare disparities, I can now help shape the future of medicine in Montana. Helping students achieve their dream of becoming a physician is the cherry on top. My goal in the workplace - and in life - is to approach everything I do creatively and with a positive attitude. Challenges can be overcome, mistakes can be lessons, but how we approach these things will determine our growth.