Dr. Shannon Manuelito

Dr. Shannon Manuelito - Interim Dean, Liberal Arts & Sciences

Dr. Shannon Manuelito (Diné) is Tódich’íi’nii (Bitter Water) born for Hashtłʼishnii (Mud People). She is Bird clan (Cherokee) from her cheii (maternal grandpa) and Bit'ahnii (Folded Arms People) from her nálí (paternal grandfather). With more than ten years of experience in higher education as a teacher, collaborator, and innovator, she is an advocate for education and hopes to transform future generations through the scholarship of teaching and learning. 

After completing her Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science at New Mexico State University (NMSU), Shannon worked as an Educational Assistant at a local elementary school on the Navajo reservation where she was raised. This experience would later prove to be pivotal in her motivation to support underrepresented and underserved students in their higher education pursuits. 

Shannon returned to NMSU to study the inner ear. She conducted tissue culture explant research and earned her Master’s degree in Biology. She holds a Doctorate of Education (Ed.D.) in Leadership and Innovation from Arizona State University (ASU) where she studied self-regulated learning. In 2009, she joined the residential faculty ranks at Estrella Mountain Community College (EMCC) teaching biology. 

During her time at EMCC, Shannon demonstrated her commitment to student engagement and community building. She chaired campus initiatives such as Native American Heritage Month and United Way and was instrumental in establishing a student mentoring program at EMCC. She also established the EMCC American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) Chapter and serves on the Board of Directors for the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS). Additionally, Dr. Manuelito held faculty leadership roles including EMCC Faculty Senate President, Life Sciences Division Chair, and EMCC Curriculum Development Facilitator.