Shannon Taylor
shannon.taylor@uncf.org
Shannon Taylor brings more than 25 years of experience in education, college access and community partnership building to her work supporting UNCF’s mission. A native of Dayton, OH with deep roots across Ohio and Kentucky, she has dedicated her career to expanding opportunity and strengthening the institutions that serve underrepresented students.
Shannon joins UNCF after serving as Assistant Director of Development at I Know I Can, the largest college access organization in Central Ohio. In this role, she led fundraising initiatives, cultivated corporate and foundation partnerships and helped expand postsecondary opportunities for thousands of students. She also played a central role in the launch and implementation of the HBCU Special Founders Scholarship, an initiative established in 2018; designed to remove financial barriers for Columbus City Schools graduates attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities. In 2025, she secured six HBCU Special Founders, the largest number awarded in a single year, demonstrating her commitment to advancing equity through meaningful partnerships.
Before stepping into development leadership, Shannon spent more than two decades in K-12 and college access building programs and serving in multiple capacities. Most notably, she was a key leader in I Know I Can’s work on the Columbus Promise Scholarship Program. This program, a multi-organization partnership; provides eligible graduates of Columbus City Schools with tuition-free pathways to a degree or credential. Her experience guiding complex initiatives and building sustainable educational pipelines uniquely positions her to advance UNCF’s mission across Ohio and Kentucky.
A proud graduate of Kentucky State University, Shannon is a longtime advocate for HBCUs. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Master of Science in Science Education from Walden University. She is also a certified 500 HR Yoga Teacher and focuses her work on advancing physical and mental wellness in marginalized communities. Shannon is also a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.
Shannon lives in Columbus with her husband Sean, where they’ve raised their two children, Camden and Kennedy and 3 beloved pups.