Shanell Watson
Shanell serves as Chief of Staff for the Woodward Hines Education Foundation, a statewide nonprofit dedicated to improving college access and completion for Mississippians. In this role, she is responsible for managing the Foundation’s grantmaking investments, as well as coordinating organizational research, evaluation and learning processes. Prior to becoming chief of staff, Shanell has served in a variety of roles at the Foundation, including financial analyst, data analyst, and most recently, program officer. She was a member of Philanthropy Southeast‘s 2020 Hull Fellows Leadership Class and has served on a number of governing boards, including the Mississippi Society of CPAs, the Women’s Foundation of Mississippi and the Community Foundation for Mississippi. Shanell is a licensed Certified Public Accountant and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and Master of Accountancy degree from Millsaps College in Jackson, MS. A native of Marion, Mississippi, Shanell currently resides in the metro Jackson area with husband Edward, and sons Nicholas, Sean, and Barrett. @Shanell_cpa (X/Twitter)
