From the sunny west coast, Shannen spent most of her life in Long Beach, California. There, she was a busy professional photographer for many years. In 2020, at the beginning of the global pandemic, she moved to Mississippi to be closer to her family. Already having as artistic mind, Shannen decided it was time to make a career change. Shannen had wanted to be cosmetologist for a long time and decided it was now or never to fulfill her dream. As a graduate of Delta Technical College, Shannen is excited to be a part of the Smoak Salon team and continue her education in the beauty industry. After years of capturing people’s beauty from behind the lens, she is exhilarated to be the one creating the look to be pictured.