Meet Shanna!!
With two decades of leadership in philanthropy, higher education, and public service, Shanna M. Farmer has dedicated her career to strengthening communities across Southern Colorado. Born and raised in Pueblo, she has served as President & CEO of United Way Pueblo County since 2019. Since then, she has had the privilege of overseeing transformational growth, expanding the organization’s geographic reach, increasing staff capacity, and strengthening the organization to ensure long-term sustainability. Her leadership centers on supporting community impact, improving outcomes for families, and enhancing the effectiveness of local services. She is passionate about building collaborative solutions that expand opportunity and strengthen communities, while fostering high-performing and values-driven teams and advancing equity-centered investments that respond directly to community needs. She remains committed to transparency, trust, and fiscal stewardship as United Way delivers measurable improvements in the lives of Southern Colorado residents.
Shanna brings extensive experience in nonprofit management, grant operations, and public policy. Prior to United Way, she served as Director of Advancement and Grants Manager for Catholic Charities of Pueblo, overseeing more than 45 contracts and grants totaling over $5 million annually. Earlier roles at Colorado College, Colorado State University Pueblo, and the United States Congress provided her with a strong foundation in policy development, partnerships, and systems-level change. She holds a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership from Gonzaga University and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, with minors in Mass Communication and Leadership Studies, from CSU Pueblo.
Deeply committed to statewide and local coalition work, Shanna serves as Vice Chair of the Colorado Children’s Campaign Board, a Board Member of the Colorado Nonprofit Association, and a Board Director for Ent Credit Union. She also serves as the Vice Chair of the Pueblo County Homeless Advisory Commission and a member of the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) Key Stakeholder Committee. These roles reflect her dedication to championing equitable solutions, strengthening supportive services, and ensuring community voices shape policy decisions.
Since 2015, Shanna has also been an Adjunct Faculty member for CSU Pueblo’s President’s Leadership Program, where she enjoys mentoring students and developing the next generation of community-centered leaders.
Beyond her professional commitments, Shanna and her husband, Sean Wolff, are devoted animal rescuers and Disney enthusiasts who share a love for adventure. She values time with family and friends and enjoys biking, kayaking, photography, reading, and traveling.
Shanna's responses to some fun questions:
If I had a superpower it would be the ability to time travel.
If I were a pasta shape I would be gnocchi- complex yet adaptable to a variety of situations.
If I entered a talent show I would perform a showstopping rendition of “Dancing Queen” (singing AND dancing, costume required). And if this ever actually happens, please remember I said showstopping, not Grammy award-winning. 
The most inspiring thing about my job is I love imagining “what could be” for our community and this organization and finding achievable and actionable ways to make those dreams a reality.