Dr. Shanna A. Smith, CTE, CTA is an applied qualitative researcher who manages MFAN’s research portfolio. During her time with MFAN, she has also shared her expertise on both the public affairs and programs teams.
Throughout her award-winning career, Dr. Smith has held various roles in partner and community relations, marketing and communications, and executive leadership in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. She also continues to serve as a professor, teaching business administration courses at Wayland Baptist University – Hawaii.
Dr. Smith holds a Doctor of Business Administration from Walden University, specializing in human resources and strategic planning, a Master of Business Administration from Liberty University, and a Bachelor of Arts in communication from Hardin-Simmons University. Dr. Smith is also a graduate of the prestigious Harvard Business School’s Young American Leaders Program (YALP) and holds additional leadership certifications from Dale Carnegie and the Experience Institute.
Shanna believes that leadership is not just about improving yourself, but also developing, influencing, and mentoring those around you, and she strongly believes in volunteering, giving back, and serving others. She recently completed her presidency of the Board of Young Associates at Hardin-Simmons University and has served on the Texas Governor’s Committee to Support the Military. Currently, Shanna is a volunteer chapter lead for the Hiring Our Heroes Military Spouse Professional Network – Hawaii and serves as a Servicemember Family Readiness Group (SFRG) leader in Hawaii.
For Dr. Smith, the needs and well-being of military and veteran families is personal – she is a military child, sister, and spouse.