She has several years of experience as a professional school counselor prior to completing her doctorate at the University of Central Florida. Dr. Shillingford has written several articles and book chapters on multicultural issues particularly focused on wellness, empowerment, and resilience of children and youth of color. Dr. Shillingford has a keen interest in exploring measures to deconstruct educational, social, and health disparities among marginalized communities. Dr. Shillingford’s co-edited book, The Journey Unraveled: College and Career Readiness of African American Students, was published Fall, 2015.