JALEN SHELL
Charlotte,NC
Summary
Strategic belonging and engagement professional with over eight years of experience in enhancing organizational culture and fostering inclusivity. Expertise in developing training programs, managing cross-functional initiatives, and implementing engagement strategies aligned with organizational goals. Strong communicator and project manager, skilled in building relationships across diverse communities and driving collaboration.
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
Work History
Associate Director
Wake Forest University – Intercultural Center
07.2025 - Current
- Lead strategic planning and implementation of four Heritage Month programming, Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations, Homecoming initiatives, and other institution-wide engagement events.
- Partner with the Director to develop, implement, and evaluate strategic belonging and engagement initiatives that foster an inclusive organizational culture.
- Collaborate across academic and administrative divisions with university leadership, faculty, staff, and community partners to coordinate cross-functional initiatives supporting institutional priorities.
- Design and facilitate educational workshops, presentations, and learning opportunities that strengthen cultural competency, leadership development, belonging, and inclusive excellence.
- Supervise one full-time Administrative Coordinator and a team of interns through hiring, onboarding, coaching, professional development, and performance evaluation.
- Coordinate departmental operations, scheduling, communications, event logistics, and administrative functions to ensure successful execution of programs and initiatives.
- Develop strategic communication plans utilizing newsletters, websites, digital platforms, marketing materials, and social media.
- Track participation metrics, assessment data, utilization trends, and engagement outcomes to evaluate effectiveness and support data-informed decision making leading to a 3% growth in daily engagement.
- Build collaborative partnerships while serving as a trusted resource for university leadership, employees, interns, and community stakeholders.
Assistant Director
Wake Forest University – Intercultural Center
07.2022 - 07.2025
- Designed and facilitated educational curricula, workshops, and training to enhance cultural competency, leadership development, inclusive excellence, communication, and identity development.
- Collaborated across academic and administrative departments to coordinate strategic engagement initiatives that strengthened organizational culture and community partnerships.
- Developed innovative engagement strategies that connected individuals with institutional resources while increasing participation in campus-wide initiatives.
- Designed and facilitated educational curricula, workshops, and training supporting cultural competency, leadership development, inclusive excellence, communication, and identity development.
- Managed departmental programming budget of $50,000, securing over $25,000 in additional funding for strategic initiatives.
- Developed assessment tools, analyzed engagement data, tracked initiative outcomes, and prepared reports to inform strategic planning and continuous improvement.
- Managed strategic communications through newsletters, website management, marketing campaigns, and digital communications.
- Supervised interns through recruitment, onboarding, training, coaching, scheduling, and performance evaluation.
Coordinator, Multicultural Programming & Academic Program for Excellence
Iowa State University – Office of Multicultural Student Affairs
07.2019 - 06.2022
- Coordinated strategic engagement initiatives for over 100 participants annually, enhancing educational programming, leadership development, and community-building efforts.
- Planned and executed institution-wide cultural heritage events by collaborating with departments, affinity groups, organizational leaders, and community stakeholders.
- Coordinated leadership development programming and educational initiatives that promoted belonging, collaboration, and personal growth.
- Supervised graduate assistants and peer mentors, overseeing hiring, onboarding, coaching, and performance evaluation to foster a supportive learning environment.
- Supervised graduate assistants and peer mentors through hiring, onboarding, coaching, and performance evaluation.
- Advised leadership organizations and facilitated committees to strengthen organizational effectiveness and promote community engagement.
- Advised leadership organizations and facilitated committees supporting organizational effectiveness and community engagement.
Graduate Assistant
Georgia Southern University – Office of Multicultural Affairs
07.2017 - 12.2018
- Coordinated multicultural education initiatives advancing institutional diversity, belonging, and engagement goals.
- Planned and executed cultural heritage celebrations, educational workshops, leadership development opportunities, and community engagement initiatives to foster inclusivity.
- Planned cultural heritage celebrations, educational workshops, leadership development opportunities, and community engagement initiatives.
- Supported mentoring, retention, and engagement initiatives through collaboration with campus departments and community organizations to enhance student experiences for over 300+ students.
- Created marketing materials and communications to effectively promote departmental initiatives and educational programming, increasing visibility and participation.
Project Manager
BCKYRD Marketing, LLC
05.2018 - 08.2018
- Managed client relationships and communications while overseeing project timelines for multiple concurrent initiatives to ensure alignment with client objectives.
- Developed communication strategies and marketing content calendars, including social media campaigns, to enhance brand engagement.
- Coordinated cross-functional creative teams to complete projects on schedule and meet client expectations.
Education
Master of Arts - Professional Communication & Leadership
Georgia Southern University–Armstrong
Savannah, GA12.2018
Bachelor of Science - Health Science (Human Performance Management)
Armstrong State University
Savannah, GA05.2017
Skills
- Program Development
- Project Management
- Strategic Planning
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Assessment & Outcomes Measurement
- Training & Facilitation
- Event Planning & Logistics
- Community Engagement
- Belonging & Engagement
- Employee Engagement
- Strategic Communications
- Budget Administration
LEADERSHIP & PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
- Wake Forest University
- NCAA Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Policy Review Working Group
- Director of Wellbeing Search Committee
- Director of LGBTQ+ Search Committee
- African & Caribbean Students Association Advisor
- Lift Every Voice Endowment Committee
- Founder & Facilitator, Barbershop Talks
- Iowa State University
- Social Justice Summit Planning Committee
- Men of Color Empowerment Summit Planning Committee
- Academic Program for Excellence Planning Committee Chair
- Black Student Alliance Co-Advisor
- Multicultural Student Leadership Council Advisor
- Presenter, ACPA National Convention
- Georgia Southern University
- MLK Institute Planning Committee
- Vice President of Student Affairs Student Advisory Committee
- Latino Heritage Month Planning Committee
- Black Heritage Month Planning Committee
- Pride Celebration Month Planning Committee
- 100 Black Men of Savannah Youth Leadership Academy Mentor
Timeline
Associate Director
Wake Forest University – Intercultural Center
07.2025 - Current
Assistant Director
Wake Forest University – Intercultural Center
07.2022 - 07.2025
Coordinator, Multicultural Programming & Academic Program for Excellence
Iowa State University – Office of Multicultural Student Affairs
07.2019 - 06.2022
Project Manager
BCKYRD Marketing, LLC
05.2018 - 08.2018
Graduate Assistant
Georgia Southern University – Office of Multicultural Affairs
07.2017 - 12.2018
Master of Arts - Professional Communication & Leadership
Georgia Southern University–Armstrong
Bachelor of Science - Health Science (Human Performance Management)
Armstrong State University