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Shawna R. McMillan is an education advocate, systems-builder, and nonprofit founder whose work is rooted in lived experience and a deep understanding of how school systems often fail the families who need them most.

Raised in Baltimore, Shawna lived several different childhoods before adulthood claimed her. She was born to a teenage mother and placed in foster care, later raised by a grandmother who provided relative stability, and ultimately grew up in Park Heights on Lucille and Belvedere with a single mother doing everything she could to provide. Each version of that childhood encountered the same education system, one that consistently struggled to adapt to students and families who did not resemble the majority.

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Those early experiences did not distance Shawna from education. Instead, they shaped her commitment to ensuring that families are not left to navigate complex school systems alone, unheard, or uninformed. Shawna is the Founder of Navigating Advocacy for Meaningful Education (NAME), a Baltimore-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit created to address a persistent and often invisible problem: families of disadvantaged, disabled, and underrepresented students are routinely required to navigate complex educational systems without the information, support, or advocacy necessary to secure equitable outcomes. Since 2024, Shawna has logged over 100 hours in IEP and school-based advocacy meetings, directly supporting more than 30 families across Baltimore City and surrounding communities. Her work centers on demystifying special education processes, translating dense evaluation reports into accessible language, and helping families articulate priorities during high-stakes school meetings. She regularly supports families through IEPs, 504 plans, evaluations, placement decisions, and discipline-related processes.

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In addition to one-on-one advocacy, Shawna leads small, practical workshops focused on real-world system navigation rather than abstract policy instruction. Her approach emphasizes preparation, clarity, and relationship-building, ensuring that families are equipped with tools they can use immediately. NAME is intentionally lean and community-rooted. The organization operates with a small core team and a disciplined strategic plan focused on sustainability, accountability, and responsible growth. This structure allows NAME to prioritize direct service while building the infrastructure necessary for long-term impact. The organization currently partners with seven youth-serving organizations and is an active member of the BLK ED Network, grounding its work in collaboration and community trust.

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Shawna’s professional background spans special education, nonprofit leadership, grants management, and organizational systems development. She has served as a special educator, program manager, consultant, and board officer, bringing a systems-level perspective to education advocacy. Her work is informed by both advanced training in education and special education and by firsthand experience navigating the very systems she now helps families understand.

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At the core of Shawna’s work is a belief that access to information, advocacy, and dignity should not depend on a family’s background, resources, or familiarity with educational systems. Her work focuses on building advocacy that is steady, accountable, and deeply human, grounded in community, guided by data, and sustained through trust.