As Vice President of Global Programs & Support, Shannon Alexander provides strategic direction and oversight to Program teams focused on strengthening Humanitarian Response and Leadership; Program Performance and Quality; Research and Learning; and Technical Support. In close collaboration with implementing teams and partners around the world, the Program Department works to deliver the most effective programming – by continuously learning what works, adapting and scaling proven approaches, and sharing evidence widely.

Over 25 years ago, Shannon left her private sector work in the Sportswear and Tourism industries to move to Romania and manage a small business development program. Charged with promoting a culture of entrepreneurship through local universities and Chambers of Commerce, her early experiences working in partnership with professors, nascent business advisors and their micro-enterprise clients taught her the joy and the power of building teams that learn (and laugh) together. Her focus on unlocking the creative energy that propels teams to do their best work has been a foundation of all of her positions at Mercy Corps, through her roles in leading new business development, managing an array of technical experts, and developing Mercy Corps’ Resilience Approach that now guides our agency’s strategic framework.

Shannon has a love for storytelling developed through creative writing and an undergraduate degree in Journalism. She earned an MBA from the Lundquist College of Business at the University of Oregon with a focus on Marketing and international business. She is the recipient of Mercy Corps’ first Hidden Hero award for agency support to our teams and mission.