Kelli Shannahan
Despina completed her bachelor’s degree in sociology and a GIS certificate in 2023. Her love for data and research led her to acquire a master’s degree in Demography and Population Analysis from the University of California, Irvine. She was a GIS Teaching Assistant for DePaul University and part of the Student Urban Research Corps. Beyond academia, Despina performed data analysis for the American Psychology Association, ACT Raising Safe Kids program and was an SPSS intern for Changing Children’s Worlds Foundation. She believes data driven research is pivotal to creating positive change for our society. Most recently, as an MGP GIS intern, she gained valuable experience learning about local government operations and how to best support local government.