Shannon M. Dawkins, MBA, joined the Public Justice Center in July 2026 as its first People and Culture Lead. She is a strategic and purpose-driven human resources leader with more than 25 years of experience advancing organizational success through people-centered initiatives, compliance, and operational excellence. Throughout her career in the public, municipal, higher education, and nonprofit sectors, she has focused on reducing institutional barriers and aligning HR strategies with fairness, transparency, and equity, transforming operations to better support employees and organizational success.
Most recently, Shannon served as Director of the Office of Employee Benefits, Retirement, and Absence Management for Baltimore County Public Schools, where she led modernization efforts, strengthened compliance practices, and fostered a supportive and inclusive workplace culture. Previously, as an HR Business Partner for the City of Baltimore, she managed full-spectrum HR operations and built strong relationships with labor unions, significantly reducing grievances through open communication and collaborative problem-solving.
Shannon is a proud alumna of Morgan State University, Pennsylvania State University, and Johns Hopkins University. As she joins the Public Justice Center, she is excited to leverage her human resources expertise in support of PJC’s mission to pursue systemic change and build a just society. Shannon believes that an equitable, healthy, and empowered workforce is essential to advancing justice and expanding opportunities for underserved communities.
Shannon is the mother of one son and enjoys traveling, spending time with family and friends, and watching HGTV.
Phone: (410) 625-9409 x227
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