Our Team
Dr. Shauna Harris
Director
Dr. Shauna Harris has over 15 years of experience working in higher education and student affairs. Her professional experiences have included housing and residence life, women’s leadership initiatives, student leadership and engagement, advising, and student recruitment and retention. Her scholarly work has centered on identity development in biracial women, mid-management supervision, and student engagement on campus.
She has been committed to creating inclusive environments that foster a sense of belonging as well as working with various stakeholders to create systems, programs, and services centered on equity, efficiency, and engagement.
Before becoming the Director of the Carolina Women’s Center, Dr. Harris served as the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs at the School of Education at Carolina. She graduated from Clemson with a B.A. in History. She received her M.Ed. in Higher Education and Student Affairs from the University of South Carolina and her Ph.D. in Counseling and Student Personnel Services from the University of Georgia.
Shelley Gist Kennedy
Assistant Director
Shelley is a double Tar Heel, having earned both a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Master of Public Administration from UNC-Chapel Hill.
Her professional background has been centered around gender equity and violence prevention, with over ten years of experience in the higher education and nonprofit sectors. This includes work with Orange County Rape Crisis Center, Girls on the Run of the Triangle, and, most recently, UNC’s Violence Prevention and Advocacy Services. She currently holds an adjunct position in the Women’s and Gender Studies Department, where she teaches a course on violence prevention.
Having previously served as Program Coordinator at the Carolina Women’s Center from 2014-2019, she is excited to return to the CWC as Assistant Director!
Phanisree Akshinthala, DEI Fellow
Phanisree is a third-year student from New Jersey double majoring in Mathematics and Information Sciences.
Siona Arora, DEI Fellow
Siona is a fourth-year student at UNC-Chapel Hill pursuing a dual Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Management and Society.
Cecelia Nobles, Outreach Ambassador
Cecelia is a current junior at UNC-Chapel Hill double majoring in Psychology and Women’s and Gender Studies with a minor in Conflict Management.