Shaunna Finley, PhD serves as the Senior Director for District & Community Engagement at Communities In Schools. She is a seasoned educator whose career spans roles as interim superintendent, assistant superintendent, high school principal, high school teacher, and college and career coordinator—primarily supporting Hispanic and African American students in low- income communities. Her deep expertise in integrated student supports has led to the creation and expansion of impactful programming that strengthens whole-student and whole-staff well-being. These efforts have contributed to reduced behavior referrals, increased student attendance, and improved graduation rates.
Dr. Finley was named the 2018 District 1 Principal of the Year in Indiana and has been recognized with several notable honors, including the North Township Trustee Woman of Prominence in Education Award from now-Representative Frank MrVan and the Crossing Student Empowerment Award. In 2025, she was further honored with the Defender of Democracy Award from the East Chicago NAACP. She is also a published author, contributing the chapter “Plant a Seed” to The Leader Reader: Narratives of Experience.
Deeply committed to community service and educational advocacy, Dr. Finley previously served as a member of the Portage Township School Board and represented her region as a member of the Indiana School Board Association Board of Directors. In 2023, she was named the Influential Woman of Northwest Indiana in the field of Education.