Susan Shannon

Susan K Shannon was born in Pawhuska, Oklahoma on September 22nd, 1954. She is a member of the Osage Nation and the daughter of George A Shannon and the late Mary Agnes Wagoshe (way-gosh-shee). Her father is also an OU graduate who upon graduation was offered a job in San Francisco, so Susan spent her early years there until the family moved back to Oklahoma. She graduated from Tulsa Memorial High School in 1973. After having attended OU in the mid-1970’s, she returned in August of 1991 and got her degree in Native American Studies in 1996 with a minor in Film/Video studies. She began working at KGOU Radio station fulltime in July of 1996.

She worked as office manager at KGOU from 1996 until 2012. In 1997 Susan reported her first story for National Native News. In August of 2001, she was invited to Anchorage, Alaska for training and to meet the staff. Through those contacts she was given a full scholarship to attend the Native American Journalists Association training conference in San Diego. She has been a Ford Foundation scholarship recipient, which enabled her to attend the National Federation of Community Broadcasters Conference in San Francisco, where the first day was devoted to Native American broadcasters. She contributes stories to the locally produced radio show “Oklahoma Voices” focusing on native people and events.

Her photographs have been in OU Native Art shows as well as Gilcrease Museum and the State Capitol. She has participated in her tribal ceremonials since she was three years old and received her Indian name from then-Chief Paul Pitts. She is a member of the Deer Clan.