Shanell joined the Fels Fund in 2015 as an office manager and has since progressed to grants and operations manager to her current position as Program Officer, where she manages the Movement Building grant portfolio and Beyond the Grant Initiative. She is the primary contact for grantee partners, manages grant applications, and coordinates Beyond the Grant programming. Highlights from her work include: streamlining the grant application process and eliminating written grant reports, transitioning the grant application and grants management system online, redesigning the website, and launching leadership development and wellness grants. Beyond optimizing operations within the organization, she is a critical voice in the work towards equity and fight for justice. She is a fierce advocate for wellness and works to help transform philanthropic culture around wellbeing.
Shnell is actively involved in the community, serving on the steering committee for the Philadelphia Chapter of Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy and the Philadelphia Black Giving Circle. She also serves on the board of the Henrietta Tower Wurts Memorial Fund. She holds a bachelor of science in sociology and a master of public service. In her personal time, Shanell loves creating culinary masterpieces from scratch, exploring new destinations, and spending time with her dog, Razzi.
“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”— James Baldwin