Shawn Zachery

Shawn Zachery graduated from Southern University in Baton Rouge, LA in 1987 with a degree in Computer Science. Since receiving her degree, she has spent more than 30 years working for several Fortune 500 companies and currently works in technology with Spin Systems, Inc. headquartered in Virginia. She began her career in dance while at Southern as a Southern University Dancing Doll in 1985. After graduation she continued her dance studies in ballet, modern, jazz, tap, and hip hop. She performed in local dance troupes such as Gino Johnson’s Planet Funk and Mahogany Dance Theater of Dallas. She also became a certified fitness instructor in 1995 and continues to teach and be an advocate for health and fitness to this day. Ms. Zachery began coaching HBCU dance teams in Washington, DC as Director and Choreographer for Howard University’s Ooh La La! Dancers (1996-1999). She later went on to start the very first line at Morrow High School in Morrow, GA (2004-2006), and coached the Champagne Dancers at South Carolina State University (2006-2007). After moving to Virginia, she coached the Hot Ice Dancers at Norfolk State University (2008), and the Platinum Divas at Nansemond River High School (2009-2012). She is currently Director of the Black Foxes dance team at Prairie View A&M University (2012 –present), which was featured in the docu-series “March” on the CW Network. Ms. Zachery spends her spare time sharing ideas with other collegiate and high school coaches, which inspired her to create the National HBCU Auxiliary and Dance Directors Association. This organization is dedicated to facilitating networking, training, and mentoring of HBCU Performance coaches and performers, as well as high school coaches that perform the HBCU style. She is a member of Tau Beta Sigma National Honorary Band Sorority, Chi Tau Epsilon Dance Society, National Dance Society and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.