About Us
Dr. Shaunna Finley is a first-generation high school graduate who has overcome many obstacles which has led her on a journey to impact communities across the country. Dr. Finley is the first African-American to serve on the Portage Township School Board in Portage, IN. She also serves on the Board of Works and Redevelopment Commission for the City of Portage, She and her family are active community members in the city where they reside.
Dr. Finley holds several degrees and certifications. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Purdue University in Sociology, a Master’s in Public Administration from Indiana University, a Master’s in Education from Indiana State University and Doctorate of Philosophy from Indiana State University. She also holds a Project Management Certification.
Dr. Finley’s degrees in Sociology and Public Administration assisted her with leading non-profit organizations. She led quality assurance and program evaluation teams at Northwest Indiana Community Action, Corp as they transitioned from being the former Lake County Economic Opportunity Council (LCEOC). She led the integration efforts of workforce development services and programs in seven counties in Northwest Indiana as they transitioned from two workforce boards to one.
Dr. Finley is an experienced educator who has served as an assistant superintendent, high school principal, college and careers coordinator and high school teacher. Most of the students she served were from African American, Hispanic and low-income communities. She was the first African American female principal of East Chicago Central High School in East Chicago, IN. East Chicago Central High School was at risk of state takeover due to lack of meeting adequate yearly progress (AYP). Her abilities to build strong relationships with students, staff and community resulted in the school earning its highest school leader grade in its history. Under her leadership several partnerships were established: 1) The first ever JROTC Program was approved. 2) The University of Notre Dame partnership, the goal was to increase the number of students participating in advanced placement courses. 3) The Lilly Counseling Initiative, which is financial support from the Lily Foundation, was a major project for the entire school district. This project impacted students in grades Pre-K to 12.
She also served as adjunct faculty at Calumet College of St. Joseph for nine years. She taught Change Management and Project Management Courses in the Master of Science in Management Program.
She also has a background in curriculum development related to Integrated Student Supports.
Dr. Finley was the 2018 District 1 Principal of the Year in the State of Indiana. She received the North Township Trustee Women of Prominence in Education Award and The Crossing Student Empowerment Award. She authored a chapter titled “Plant a Seed” in The Leader Reader: Narratives of Experience. She is in the process of launching an upcoming book titled: We Can! We Can! Leadership Stories from Minoritized Women. She is also a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFhSHkciJ5w&feature=youtu.be
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