SAINT PAUL, MN, October 23, 2024 - Shannon E. Bryant, MEd, CWDP, LSSGB, has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.

Ms. Bryant is an accomplished professional with a comprehensive background in higher education, workforce development strategy and learning and development. As the executive director of workforce and economic development at Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, she leads statewide initiatives that enhance workforce readiness, talent development and economic growth. Her role involves building relationships and collaborating with stakeholders across the college and university system, as well as with employers, government agencies and community partners.

Ms. Bryant's career journey began in the financial services publishing sector, where she spent 16 years. During her tenure at Keir Educational Resources from 1998 to 2014, she collaborated with colleges and universities offering finance degree programs and worked with prominent investment companies and banks to provide study materials and review programs for professional designations and certifications in the financial services industry.

In 2014, Ms. Bryant joined Sinclair Community College as the director of business development for workforce development. She was later promoted to interim vice president of workforce development in 2017 and then vice president of workforce development and corporate services in 2018. In these roles, she collaborated with businesses to understand their workforce needs and facilitated partnerships with the college to address those needs. Her efforts led to recognition as one of the Top 50 Power Women in the Dayton area for two consecutive years and receipt of the Top Workforce Program in the region.

In 2019, Ms. Bryant moved on to Tarrant County College in Fort Worth, Texas, where she served as the executive vice president of corporate solutions and economic development until 2023. During this time, she engaged with employers to understand and address their workforce needs while supporting higher education initiatives. She also launched "The Workforce Lens" podcast featuring interviews with CEOs and executives, discussing workforce needs and future requirements. In conjunction with this, she initiated "The Lens" magazine focused on workforce and economic development, earning international awards for her articles.

Ms. Bryant's educational background includes a Master of Education in corporate training and knowledge management from Jones International University, a master's certificate in e-learning and instructional design from Jones International University and a bachelor's degree in applied and general studies in marketing from the University of Cincinnati. She also earned an associate degree in technical study in medical sales from Marion Technical College.

Complementing her formal education, Ms. Bryant holds several certifications, including Certified Workforce Development Professional from the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals, Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certification from Aveta Business Institute and a certification of completion from McNellis Compression Planning Institute. She attributes her overall success to strong family support from her parents, a good network of business colleagues and her intuition.

Throughout her career, Ms. Bryant has been recognized for her contributions to workforce development, being named one of Dayton Region's Power 50 Women in 2018 and 2019 by the Dayton Business Journal. She also received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the Ohio Association of Community Colleges in 2022 and was inducted into Marion Technical College's Alumni Hall of Fame in 2021.

Ms. Bryant is also actively involved in several industry-related organizations, including serving as a board member for the Governor's Workforce Development Board in Minnesota, the Minnesota Job Skills Partnership Board, and the RealTime Talent Board. Previous board roles before coming to Minnesota included the North Texas Commission, and in Ohio the Montgomery County Workforce Investment Board, the Preble County Development Partnership, REDI Cincinnati, and the Workforce Investment Board of Butler, Clermont, and Warren Counties.

Outside of her professional life, Ms. Bryant enjoys spending time with family, e-bike riding, hiking, traveling, antiquing, and cooking old-fashioned recipes from family collections. Looking ahead, she wants to pursue voice-over work and is currently creating a platform where she can provide voice-over services in the education and corporate narrative space. Working with a voice-over coach to improve her skills in this area, her ultimate ambition is to collaborate with PBS and other like-minded networks.

About Marquis Who's Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. The suite of Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who's Who® website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.

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