Who is Shannon Singleton?

Shannon Singleton was elected to the Multnomah County Commission in 2024 after decades as a front line worker and organizational leader. She has a successful track record at the helm of both public and non-profit agencies, with a focus on supporting people to recover from trauma, addiction, mental health challenges, and homelessness.

Shannon was born and raised in Philadelphia and, after spending time in New Mexico and California, came to Portland in 2007 to continue her career in social work, an area in which she holds a master’s degree. For Shannon, like so many others, social work is a calling that emerged from personal experience - growing up with a mom and grandmother who would take in people who were “down on their luck” or living with developmental disabilities.

For two decades, Shannon has led with conviction, pragmatism, and consistency. She served as executive director of JOIN, the state’s largest street outreach agency, successfully ending people’s homelessness. She created the first mental health street outreach program while at Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare and designed clinical treatment at Portland’s Bud Clark Commons. At a time of transition for Multnomah County’s Joint Office of Homeless Services, Shannon stepped in as Interim Director to provide stability and structure as the agency began demobilizing its pandemic response. Shannon also served in the administration of Governor Kate Brown as Housing Policy Advisor and the Director of Equity and Racial Justice, where she created and implemented the Racial Justice Council to center state policy and budget development on the needs of Black and brown Oregonians. 

Over the last three years, Shannon has been applying her expertise in navigating the toughest community challenges - in ways that support both economic vitality and community prosperity. She facilitated the compromise for the Rose Quarter Improvement Project, putting the project in line for the largest federal investment in local infrastructure. She also led the Community Benefits process for the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program. Whether at the dais, the negotiating table, or a neighborhood block party, Shannon brings a focus on justice, working people, and building a better future with those around her. 

Shannon loves her St. Johns neighborhood, where she lives with her husband, Titus, and dog, Jim.