Shannon Feeney has built a reputation as an innovative leader in peer-to-peer fundraising and endurance event management, shaping programs that unite communities and drive meaningful impact. Through a career devoted to expanding organizational reach and scaling multi-million-dollar initiatives, she has consistently delivered results that transform philanthropic goals into measurable achievements. As director of the Finish Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Endurance Fundraising Series at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, she oversees a global portfolio of endurance events that reflects both strategic vision and operational expertise.
Complementing her extensive achievements, Ms. Feeney’s academic background has been fundamental to her success. She earned a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Lewis University, where she developed advanced skills in management and strategic planning that have shaped her leadership style and approach to nonprofit growth. She holds a Bachelor of Science in history with minors in political science and psychology from Illinois State University, a multidisciplinary education that informs her understanding of human behavior, social systems and effective community engagement.
Ms. Feeney leads 12 national and international events with a projected portfolio nearing $2 million, a remarkable increase from the $780,000 benchmark when she joined the Finish MS team under the Emerging Events umbrella. Her leadership has been integral to maintaining a lean expense ratio while guiding strategic growth, building partnerships and spearheading global expansion. Among her notable accomplishments is the inclusion of the Berlin and Tokyo marathons in the event roster, as well as the creation of the “IRace with MS” initiative, which highlights participants living with multiple sclerosis. She also collaborates with social media teams to strengthen storytelling and enhance brand visibility.
Ms. Feeney’s pathway to leadership was shaped by progressive roles at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. As senior manager of emerging events, she managed a diverse portfolio that regularly surpassed revenue expectations by significant margins. She secured critical corporate sponsorships, acted as interim strategy lead during leadership transitions and successfully expanded the organization’s event lineup to include high-profile races such as the Berlin Marathon, Los Angeles Marathon and Disney Princess Half Marathon. She also redesigned the Finish MS website and established partnerships with organizations including RunDisney, Salesforce, DonorDrive and Primal. During the global shift to virtual engagement, she led the creation of a virtual volunteer series with Salesforce and transformed the 5K event series into a virtual experience, a model that continues alongside in-person events.
Earlier in her career with the organization, Ms. Feeney held positions that deepened her experience in strategic planning, event execution and program development. Her responsibilities evolved from supporting large-scale event logistics as a coordinator for Bike MS & MuckFest MS to managing innovative initiatives as a specialist and manager of emerging events. Prior to joining the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, she advanced inclusive programming as lead program manager of school friendships at Best Buddies International, fostering meaningful connections for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Looking to the future, Ms. Feeney intends to leverage her extensive nonprofit experience by transitioning into corporate social responsibility within the for-profit sector. She aims to join or help develop a CSR team that channels corporate resources into transformative community initiatives, creating partnerships that generate lasting, positive change for both local and global communities.