About the Office of Community Engagement

Shannon Shelley-Tremblay, JD, Director
sshelley-tremblay@southalabama.edu

Ms. Shelley-Tremblay has dedicated her career to addressing critical issues including access to healthcare, access to justice, access to education, and the elimination of poverty.  She is an attorney and former teacher who has served in leadership roles in higher education and in the nonprofit sector. She is proud to lead the Community Engagement Team to connect the needs and resources of our Community to the expertise and passion of USA as we all work together to advance our community.

Laurie Childers, Community Engagement Volunteer Coordinator
lchilders@southalabama.edu

Ms. Childers is excited to be part of the Community Engagement Team and to help facilitate the University of South Alabama's commitment to community service. Having worked in the nonprofit sector for more than 15 years, she brings a wealth of experience to this role, from developing community partnerships, managing programs and events, and engaging volunteers to coordinating communication and resource development efforts. Prior to coming to Mobile, AL, Ms. Childers had the opportunity to work in both the Los Angeles and Washington D.C. areas.

Dr. Kern Jackson, Faculty Fellow
kemjacks@southalabama.edu

Kern Jackson, Ph.D. is the 2018-19 Office of Community Engagement Faculty Fellow. Dr. Jackson is the Director of the African-American Studies program at the University of South Alabama and distinguished tenured faculty member in the Department of English. His approach to teaching and scholarship is rooted in Community Engagement Principles. A nationally recognized expert in folklore and ethnomusicology, Jackson earned his Ph.D. from Indiana University. In addition, Jackson earned a B.A. in English and African American Studies from the University of Virginia and a Masters of Arts in African American Studies from the University of Wisconsin. Jackson is currently on the Board of Directors for the Alabama Humanities Foundation.  He is the former curator of minority history for the Museum of Mobile and is a pre-eminent expert of Gulf Coast Carnival and Mardi Gras, serving as historian for the seminal documentary, Order of Myths, as well as appearing in multiple episodes of Alabama Public Television Series, Alabama Journey Proud.  

Aysha Kanwal, Secretary
akanwal@southalabama.edu

Ms. Kanwal is delighted to be a part of the Office of Community Engagement team. As a secretary for the department she is pleased to apply her administrative and clerical skills in benefit to the department as we promote University of South Alabama’s commitment to serve the community.  Ms. Kanwal is happily married, having recently moved to Mobile from California.