Today we’d like to introduce you to Shasta Angell.
Hi Shasta, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My story has really been shaped by family, community, and a desire to make a difference wherever I can.
I’m a mom of four, and raising my kids has probably taught me more about life, leadership, patience, and perseverance than anything else ever could. My family has always been a huge part of what motivates me and has helped shape the person I am today.
Professionally, I didn’t necessarily start out with a grand plan to end up where I am. A lot of my journey has been about recognizing opportunities, saying yes, learning as I go, and discovering along the way what I’m passionate about. Over time, I realized that I really love connecting people—whether that means connecting someone with a resource they need, bringing organizations together, promoting something positive happening in the community, or helping turn an idea into an event or project that people can actually experience.
That passion has led me to become involved with several community organizations and volunteer efforts over the years, including the Grass Lake Lions Club, Rotary programs, local chambers, and other community initiatives. Those experiences have allowed me to meet some incredible people and have shown me just how much can happen when people and organizations work together.
Today, I serve as the Community Relations Coordinator for WAVE, where I get to combine so many things I enjoy—community outreach, marketing, events, partnerships, fundraising, and storytelling—all while supporting an organization whose mission directly impacts people’s everyday lives.
When I look back, my path definitely hasn’t been a straight line, but I think that’s one of the things I appreciate most about it. Every experience, challenge, connection, and opportunity has added something to the journey. I’m still learning, still growing, and still figuring out what comes next—and I’m excited about that.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Definitely not—and I think some of the hardest parts of my journey are also the parts that have shaped me the most.
Motherhood came fast! I had four children within four years, including a set of twins. During those years, I was also working full time and trying to earn my bachelor’s degree. What is traditionally a four-year degree took me ten years to complete. There were plenty of times when finishing would have been easier to give up on, but I kept going. Looking back, I’m actually incredibly proud that it took ten years because that degree represents so much more to me than an education—it represents persistence.
One of the most difficult chapters of my life was going through a rough divorce and suddenly navigating life as a single mother of four. There was the practical side of figuring out how to raise four kids, work, provide for my family, and keep everything moving, but there was also the personal side—healing, rediscovering who I was, and learning to trust myself and my own strength again.
I certainly didn’t handle every moment perfectly, and there were times when I was simply doing the best I could with what I had. But I kept moving forward.
Those experiences have given me a lot of perspective. They’ve taught me resilience, compassion, independence, and that success doesn’t have to happen on anyone else’s timeline. They’ve also made me much more aware that you never really know what someone else is carrying behind the scenes.
The road hasn’t always been smooth, but I wouldn’t be the mother, professional, community member, or person I am today without the difficult parts of my story.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Creativity has always been at the heart of what I do. In my role as Community Relations Coordinator for WAVE, I get to wear a lot of hats—marketing, social media, community outreach, event planning, fundraising, partnerships, sponsorships, and public relations. But if I had to describe what I specialize in, I would say it’s taking an idea and finding a creative way to bring it to life.
I’m an idea person. My brain is constantly thinking, “What if we did this?” or “How could we make this more fun?” I love creating campaigns, developing events, designing promotional materials, telling stories, and finding unique ways to connect organizations and people. I especially enjoy taking something that may not naturally sound exciting—like public transportation—and finding a way to make people stop, pay attention, smile, and want to be part of it.
I think I’m known for thinking outside the box and not being afraid to try something new. I don’t believe community outreach should just be handing someone a brochure. It should be building relationships, creating experiences, showing up in the community, and giving people a reason to remember you.
What I’m most proud of isn’t one particular project. It’s seeing ideas turn into something real and watching people respond to them. Seeing a community event filled with people, a campaign get people talking, a partnership grow into something bigger, or someone discover a service or organization because of something I created—that’s the part I love.
What sets me apart is that I put a lot of myself into my work. I’m creative, energetic, a little unconventional, and willing to take chances. I want what I create to have personality and heart. At the end of the day, I don’t just want people to see something I created—I want them to **feel connected to it.**
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I think marketing and community relations are becoming much more personal, creative, and relationship-driven. People are surrounded by advertising and content all day long, so simply putting information in front of someone isn’t enough anymore. People want authenticity. They want to know the people behind an organization, understand its story, and feel like they’re part of something.
Over the next 5–10 years, I think we’ll continue to see a huge shift toward short-form video, interactive content, storytelling, and more personalized communication. AI will absolutely change how we work, too. I already see it as a tool that can help take an idea and expand it, save time, and allow creative people to do even more—but I don’t think technology can replace the human connection that makes great community relations work.
I also think organizations, especially nonprofits, will have to become more creative about partnerships. Instead of everyone working in their own little bubble, we’ll see more businesses, nonprofits, municipalities, and community groups coming together to share resources and create experiences that benefit everyone.
For me, that’s exciting because I love the challenge of figuring out new ways to reach people. The platforms and technology will keep changing, but I think the organizations that succeed will be the ones that stay human, aren’t afraid to have a personality, and genuinely build relationships with the communities they serve.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ridethewavebus.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewavebus/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thewavebus
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ridesforall/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@thewavebus
