Shannon McCarthy is an MBA/MID Candidate at the University of Pittsburgh, specializing in Global Sustainability and Gender Equality. She currently serves as a researcher for the Gender Equality in Public Administration (GEPA) initiative, where she explores the intersections of gender, governance, and the environment. Her academic research examines the blue economy, green enterprise development, gender equality and leadership, and sustainable tourism through community-led initiatives that reinvest economic benefits into local and environmental needs.
Prior to her time at Pitt, Shannon worked as a tourism development consultant, contributing to USAID-funded projects supporting community-led destination management initiatives in Tunisia, Bangladesh, and the Maldives. In addition to her affiliation with the GEPA working group, she is an experienced project manager currently working on initiatives in Haiti, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Ghana. Her work ensures transparent and sustainable waste recycling supply chains, improves the quality of life for waste management workers, and facilitates strategic partnerships between local workers and corporate partners to scale sustainable production from recycled materials.