Dr. Malone Gonzalez has a background in nonprofit strategic planning, business continuity planning, program design and evaluation, leadership development, and research. With a focus on gender and racial equity, she has experience managing multisector partnerships, developing youth and organizational programs, policy analysis, and conducting multi-method research projects. Throughout her work over the past 15 years, her focus has always been to center the well-being of black women and girls and build towards our collective liberation.

Proudly from Jackson, MS, she earned her B.A. in English from Tougaloo College and her M.S. in Nonprofit and NGO Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania. She earned her PhD in Sociology from the University of Texas at Austin where she also received doctoral portfolios in Applied Statistical Modeling and Women’s and Gender Studies. Currently, she is an Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

In partnership with other black women, Shannon facilitates black mother healing circles. Focusing on things that bring her bliss and joy, she loves southern food and music, dancing with friends and loved ones anywhere but especially in New Orleans, creative writing, photography, hiking and camping, and spending time with black, queer, and feminist communities.