Glenforest
School
Shayna's Page
Shayna Simoneaux is with Glenforest School as Community Relations Director, appointed to coordinate, enhance and facilitate external communications and provide various support services for the delivery of information on behalf of the nonprofit school. In this position she functions in various capacities- encompassing public relations, marketing, special events, development and fund raising as well as reaching out to others who could benefit from a better understanding of Learning Differences and facilitating creative collaborations with other organizations and professionals to better serve students and families with learning differences in Columbia. Simoneaux also brings with her a unique perspective for comprehending challenges faced by students with learning differences, especially those who do not have access to proper support and the resources they need. Through personal experience (as a young Dyslexic student who struggled to overcome her educational challenges alone, without scholastic support) she profoundly understands the difference Glenforest School makes in the lives of its students.
“We love having Shayna here. Her background, talents and motivation align with our mission. She breathes life into what we do for our students.” “We brought her on board to tell our story artistically and with clarity and she is informing, connecting and partnering with the Glenforest community to get our message around town.” Says Chris Winkler, Head of School. “If I could say it best: I hope everyone of our young ladies turns out just like her.”
“It is great having Shayna around. She genuinely understands kids with learning differences. She also has learning differences so she really empathizes with their problems.” “It’s also neat having creative people around at the school.” Says Barton Calvert, Dean of Students.
Shayna Simoneaux, a native of London, England, is a graduate of University College London (UCL), where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History of Art and Anthropology. She began cultivating diverse sales and communications experience working at the high-end of the U.K retail sector for established brand names such as Tiffany & Company, Garrard (The Crown Jewelers) and Jimmy Choo and worked in fashion public relations for an acclaimed British fashion PR agency where she managed communications and media relations on behalf of the firms renown beauty industry clients. After leaping “across the pond” to permanently relocate in Columbia, South Carolina, she completed an internship with the Columbia Museum of Art in the PR and Marketing department and worked at Free Times, Columbia’s Alternative News Weekly. Before joining Glenforest she operated and directed the Public Relations, Communications and Media divisions of Unlimited Marketing Solutions, a full-service advertising and communications agency. In addition to her professional activities Simoneaux is involved with South Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (SCCADVASA) as a volunteer and serves on the Board for the Contemporaries of the Columbia Museum of Art and is the former Marketing Chair. She is also a freelance writer, illustrator and artist and was named “Local Artist of the Month” for June 2010 by the CVB for her “Paintings of Birdies by Shayna.” Her art has been locally exhibited at Columbia Museum of Art (CAY 2008 Exhibit), Capitol City Club, State Museum, Frame of Mind: The Art of Eyewear (solo exhibition) and the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center and her “Birdies by Shayna” jewelry line can be found at various independent boutiques across South Carolina and Florida.