BOLD & BRAVE ADVOCATE
For over 15 years, Shannon’s powerful storytelling and passionate, compassionate advocacy have made her a sought-after speaker and voice in the media, sparking important conversations about violent crime, trauma, justice, accountability, rehabilitation, healing, resilience and her favourite “F” word: forgiveness.
She is regularly called upon by policy-makers, politicians, and media outlets for her knowledge and insight on key matters in the realms mental health and justice, and by people needing a spokesperson or individual/group advocacy.
EXPERT WITNESS
Shannon has provided testimony on Canada’s Victims Bill of Rights, Bill C- 83: An Act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act and Omnibus Crime Bill C-10. She has participated in Justice Policy Roundtables at the invitation of the Federal Minister of Justice and authored a chapter in the academic textbook, “The Promise of Restorative Justice: New Approaches for Criminal Justice and Beyond" (Lynne Reiner Publishers, 2013).
As an expert witness in court, Shannon is grace under fire, offering intelligent and accessible explanations of how trauma affects the brain, particularly in cases of sexual violence, domestic violence and human trafficking. Since 2020, she has been admitted as an expert in criminal, civil and family courts in both Canada and the USA.
Shannon holds a masters degree (with distinction) in International Child Welfare from the Elizabeth Fry School of Social Work at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England (2008). To study there, she was awarded a Bombardier Internationalist Fellowship. She also holds a B. Education degree from the University of Toronto a counselling specialist certificate from Queen's University and an Honours B.A. in International Development Studies from Trent University (1998).
PETER NYGÅRD INVESTIGATION
As an advocate for survivors of disgraced fashion mogul Peter Nygård from 2020-2023, Shannon
tirelessly worked to bring the voices and needs of survivors to investigators and to the media. Peter Nygård currently faces criminal trials in Toronto, Montreal, Winnipeg and New York. She also laid a complaint against one of his criminal defence lawyers which led to that lawyer's censure by the law society for the derogatory comments he made about survivors to the media. Shannon also provided trauma therapy to more than 40 sexual assault survivors and family members of Peter Nygård.
Gratitude
"Shannon has the biggest wings of any angel on earth. I don't know what I would have done without her support, guidance, compassion and advocacy. My life finally feels like my own again."