Ulric's Shannon’s journey in education began as a third-grade teacher in Chicago, where he discovered his passion for making a difference in students’ lives. This early experience inspired Ulric to pursue a variety of roles across the educational landscape, from working at large nonprofit organizations focused on nurturing the next generation of teachers, to leading family and community engagement for the Chicago Public Schools’ central office.

Driven by a commitment to reimagining what education can be, Ulric founded “Liberated Way,” an organization dedicated to helping schools and districts across the country partner with their communities to redesign learning environments. His community-centered philosophy was shaped in part during his time as a proud alum of Surge, where he embraced and refined his collaborative approach. Today, Ulric continues to lead with vision, ensuring that schools serve not only students, but whole communities, in bold and innovative ways.