Bio

Shannon Ivey MFA AEA PCC (she/her) is the founder of the award winning project #whatshesaidproject and Gather SC, LLC. Shannon is an ICF professional certified coach, actor/director, TedX speaker (x2), and creative rabble rouser. Shannon spent over 20 years in traditional theatre only to wake up to the realization that she had been telling other people's stories that didn't include herself or those she loved. 

This lead her to investigate the power of narrative through Theatre of the Oppressed, first-person storytelling events, essay/creative nonfiction, Narrative Medicine, person-centered coaching, and finally, publishing a medical memoir! 

She lives in Columbia, South Carolina with her dog, where she tries to grow veggies, writes bad emotional support haiku, supports her community, and enjoys being a member of the local improv troupe. She is proud mother to a brilliant son.

“Welcome to the Sh*t Show: A Memoir of Colorectal Cancer and the Power of Self Advocacy” was published by the University of South Carolina Press in Feb. 2026.