Education
Bachelor of Arts: American Culture
Northwestern University
Master of Arts: Nonprofit Administration
University of San Francisco
Certification: Nonprofit Accounting Professional
National Association of Nonprofit Accountants & Consultants
About Shannon
[Pronouns: she/ her/ hers]
Shannon Ellis is the Executive Director at CompassPoint. In the context of shared leadership across our practice, the Executive Director role takes on the highest level of accountability in ensuring that CompassPoint is values-driven, sustainable, and ultimately impactful in supporting leaders, organizations, and movements committed to social justice realize their full power.
Shannon has more than 20 years of experience in justice-driven nonprofit management, primarily holding roles in finance and operations. Before coming to CompassPoint she worked in the domestic violence field, where she spent her days toggling between responding to calls on the crisis line and learning how to read and create organizational financial statements. She considers herself an "accidental" finance person, learning while doing and being encouraged by many mentors and guides along the way. A descendant of farmers, educators, and system designers, Shannon is driven by cultivating and designing transformative experiences and has a deep personal commitment to social justice. She believes that nonprofit organizations have an important and unique role to play in the shift toward a more just and equitable world.