Shannon Knelsen

Job Description

I work across healthcare operations, education, and community-based initiatives. My primary role is in clinical operations within a hospital setting, where I support patient flow, staff coordination, and system-level problem solving. Alongside this, I teach in postsecondary programs and am actively building and leading my own projects in the community. I intentionally maintain a mix of roles to stay connected to both frontline work and broader system development through podcasting and entrepreneurial initiatives.

Relevant School Subjects

• Business
• Guidance and Career Education
• Health and Physical Education
• Social Sciences and Humanities

Areas of Expertise

• Admin/Business
• Education/Training
• Healthcare
• Not for Profit
• Performing Arts/Entertainment
• Social Work/Counselling

Career Story

I didn’t set out to build a career in healthcare.

My first job was in high school. My mom got me a part-time job at a long-term care home, working in the laundry department, delivering clothes to residents. I wasn’t working at the mall or at McDonald’s like most of my friends. At the time, it just felt like a job. I didn’t realize it was the start of something bigger.

Back then, I thought I’d end up doing something in writing or the creative arts. That’s where my interests were. Healthcare wasn’t part of the plan.

But along the way, I had people who saw things in me that I didn’t always see in myself. They encouraged me, guided me, and nudged me toward opportunities I probably wouldn’t have chosen on my own. Step by step, I found myself more and more connected to this work.

What started as a job in a long-term care home turned into a career across hospitals, community services, and social work. I ended up working in clinical operations, supporting patients, families, and teams through complex situations. And eventually, I moved into teaching, helping students understand healthcare systems, leadership, and the realities of working in this field.

Now, I’m in a place where things feel like they’re coming full circle.

I’m still deeply rooted in healthcare and community work, but I’m also reconnecting with that creative side I always had. Through podcasting, building my own projects, and exploring entrepreneurship, I’m finding new ways to tell stories, connect people, and create something meaningful.

Looking back, it wasn’t a straight path. It didn’t always make sense at the time. But every step, even the ones that felt random, led me here.