Throughout Black History Month, we want to celebrate the accomplishments of our team members such as Shana Dewitt who is committed to initiatives that support Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), workplace wellness, and leadership and team development. Along with being the Associate Vice President of Texas Housing Programs at GrantWorks, Shana is a dedicated wife and mother to a three-year-old daughter. 

Shana has always been passionate about any type of work that benefits the lives of others, and she is a strong advocate of making a difference both in our nation’s communities and in the workplace. “I’ve always been intrigued by the [service] profession.”

Shana was born in Lakeview, South Carolina, where she grew up with her siblings, mother, and stepfather. Growing up, Shana’s family valued education, and Shana had her first volunteer experience during high school. As a child, Shana was interested in teaching and even participated as a teacher cadet.

After undergrad, Shana worked alongside a substance abuse counselor to help victims of addiction. Throughout grad school, Shana worked as a case manager. She felt her most impactful cases were those in which she helped families develop a healthier, nutrition-based lifestyle to improve overall wellness. In 2015, Shana served as a Health Education Implementation Specialist in a one-year fellowship with the U.S. Army where she provided innovative, health-focused programs to improve the nutrition, sleep, and activity levels of the local community.

Serving as a department head, Shana is a large advocate for work-life balance and taking care of one’s mental health. “I’m a big fan of self-care, and I promote it in our department all the time.” When it comes to her mental health habits, she states, “If I’m not well, I can’t lead well, I can’t be a great mom, I can’t be a great wife.”