Shanese serves as the director of university and community partnerships leading the vision and development of initiatives that ensure students enrolled in or graduated from CMU partner schools are successful in college, work, and life. She serves as the lead liaison between The Center for Charter Schools and Central Michigan University, leveraging the world-class resources of the university to support the charter schools that the university partners with as an authorizer. Shanese also represents the Center with external partners, including serving as the organization’s liaison in Detroit where she works to build connections between CMU partner schools and the community. She currently serves as a part-time faculty member at Wayne State University. Prior to joining the Center, she was also an academic advisor at Wayne State University’s Mike Ilitch School of Business. She has also served as an admissions counselor at Davenport University, an enrollment and match specialist with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Detroit, and a program associate with Michigan State University Extension. Shanese has a Bachelor of Science in Community Development from Central Michigan University and a Master of Business Administration from Davenport University.