Shannon Martin

Managing grants for agencies doing economic and workforce development prepared me in some ways for working here at GCORR. Race was almost always a factor—even if it wasn’t initially apparent—when helping people deal with issues that created barriers to employment. Also, I appreciate GCORR’s funding aid to projects because I have worked on the other end of the grants system and seen the direct impact and residual effect that grant makers can have on the projects they support. It feels good to know that I’m still helping to make a difference.

Shannon Martin is administrative assistant to executive staff members of the General Commission on Religion and Race, working particularly in the areas of communications and constituency services. She also coordinates GCORR’s grants program, office operations and meeting planning. She joined our staff in late 2008.

A recent transplant to the Washington D.C. area, Shannon lived the past 12 years in the Southern Arizona, where she worked with local non-profit groups to help them fulfill economic and workforce development grant requirements. Much of their work was in helping individuals overcome barriers to successful employment—such as criminal records, at-risk economic backgrounds, disabilities and teen motherhood.

Shannon studied Business Management at California State University in Dominguez. Born and raised in Southern California, she was educated in Los Angeles schools, where she took university courses during 11^th and 12^th grades.

Shannon and her husband, Tom, have been friends since childhood and enjoy volunteering for worthy social causes and vacationing in tropical venues. They have two teenagers in high school and an older son serving proudly in the U.S. Navy.