Dr. Shaunna Finley currently serves as Senior Director of District and Community Engagement for Communities In Schools, the nation’s largest dropout prevention organization. She made history as the first African-American to win an election in Portage, Indiana, and the second in Porter County — a milestone that reflects her lifelong commitment to opening doors for those who come after her.
Prior to her current role, Dr. Finley’s career spanned classrooms, principal’s offices, and district leadership, always centered on the belief that every student deserves a real shot at success, regardless of zip code. Within the School City of East Chicago, she held multiple leadership roles, including Assistant Superintendent, High School Principal, and Adult Basic and Career Technical Education Coordinator. She has also served as a Region 1 Board Member for the Indiana School Board Association, a Portage Township Schools Board Member, and a Committee Member for the City of Portage’s Redevelopment Commission, Board of Works, Utility Services Board, and Planning Commission.
Dr. Finley also serves as adjunct faculty for New Leaders at Clark Atlanta University, extending her commitment to developing the next generation of school leaders. She is a published author, having contributed to The Leader Reader: Narratives of Experience. Her leadership has been honored with the East Chicago NAACP’s Defender of Democracy Award and the Northwest Indiana Influential Women Award in Education. Dr. Finley is also a proud member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated.
Born in Chicago, Dr. Finley spent most of her formative years there before her family moved to Gary, Indiana, where she graduated high school as a first-generation graduate. She went on to earn her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Purdue University Calumet, a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Indiana University Northwest, a Master of Education in Building Administration from Indiana State University, and her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, also from Indiana State University.
Currently, Dr. Finley resides in Portage with her husband, James. They have three sons: an Army veteran, a police officer, and a sophomore at the University of Illinois. Dr. Finley continues to use her voice and platform to ensure more women of color have not just a seat at the table, but a voice that is truly heard.