AREAS OF EXPERTISE
AmeriCorps & National Service Organizations
Jump Start was made in AmeriCorps, and if you were to ask Shannon for her opinion of National Service, she would be quick to tell you that it’s a movement, and an important one at that. Shannon completed two-terms of service as an AmeriCorps VISTA, and spent the following decade working as a staff member for National Service programs throughout Montana, including holding the role of Training Officer with the Governor’s Office of Community Service. In 2014, Shannon was the recipient of the AmeriCorps Alumni Local Leadership Award.
Shannon regularly works with AmeriCorps programs and State Service Commissions around the country. Her rare combination of expertise in all streams of service, including AmeriCorps *VISTA, AmeriCorps State, and Conservation Corps models make her uniquely qualified for the job. She has directly supervised members, overseen multi-state service programs, designed and delivered member development plans, participated in the development of statewide service plans and strategies, and implemented impact and monitoring tools for a variety of service models.
What People Are Saying...
“National and community service is becoming a more and more important part of our future. Shannon Stober has a unique grasp on what it means to serve. She is able, more than anyone else I have worked with, to translate that understanding into motivation and inspiration for the people around her. It is not just her teaching and mentoring that help, it is her passion for the work and the way of life that actually adds an entirely new layer to the experience.”
Jedd Sankar-Gorton
Montana Conservation Corps
Non-Profit Organizations
Jump Start is well-versed in the demands, challenges, and opportunities of a nonprofit setting due to Shannon’s 20 years of experience within the sector. Shannon has held several staffing roles with nonprofit organizations, including both senior and executive level positions, and has served on several nonprofit boards and advisory councils. Her formal training in strategic planning and logic modeling support her in bringing a systems-based approach to this work, and her extensive work with AmeriCorps and National Service provide her with unique insight into the roles of community building and volunteerism.
What People Are Saying...
“Shannon's work with a diverse group of nonprofits shines through in her content and style. She is not only an engaging presenter, she also possesses the ability to break big ideas into manageable steps that make sense for the community. If you’re looking to dive into nonprofit development and have fun doing it – Shannon is your gal.”
Carly Burson
Program Director, Park County Community Foundation
Youth & Young Adult Development
Jump Start works with dozens of youth development entities and has been proven effective with a variety of age groups, backgrounds, and group sizes. This is led by Shannon’s fluency in a variety of youth development philosophies, including prevention theory, asset development theory, and positive youth development theory. Shannon has a unique ability to build authentic connections using a high-energy, candid approach while acknowledging that young people are autonomous individuals, capable of achieving anything they set their minds to.
What People Are Saying...
“I am with the Montana Department of Labor and the program I work with serves high school students in schools across the state. Our program brought Shannon in to facilitate a four-hour workshop for 250 our students at our Annual Leadership Conference. She spent quite a bit of time beforehand, making sure we were all on the same page with content and delivery, timelines and detail. I was very impressed with her commitment to meeting and exceeding our expectations. The workshop went better than we could have ever expected. Shannon's high energy, and ability to work a room so effectively, resulted in 99% engagement. Students were interested in her approach and her content; teachers were impressed with her knowledge and humor; we were amazed at her energy! It was a highly successful event and we plan to continue working with Shannon.”
.jpg)
Morgan Marks
Jobs for Montana Graduate
Women's Leadership
Jump Start understands that while no two people are alike, women face universal challenges while serving in leadership roles. Shannon’s approach is informed through both formal education in gender studies along with experience in several leadership roles with women-focused organizations. She appreciates the complex space in which women leaders operate, has a historical knowledge of women’s issues, and a keen awareness of the current social constraints that influence women’s leadership. She finds tremendous value and purpose in supporting women in leadership roles, and genuinely believes that when women succeed, we all succeed.
What People Are Saying...
“Shannon is a master at her craft. I have had the honor of working alongside her developing and running a Women's Giving Circle called Montana Matriarch. I am continually blown away by Shannon's ability to captivate, engage and inspire an audience in a way that is rarely seen. She exudes professionalism, humor, energy, and grace. She has a remarkable ability to push people outside their comfort zone in a way that facilitates their own personal growth and draws them closer together with those around them.”
Rachel Anderson
President, M Design Group