Shannon Howard-Lascari

Shannon graduated from University of South Florida in 2007 with a Bachelors Degree in Psychology. She started working in Child Welfare immediately after graduating college as a Case Manager, where she worked with children and families involved in the Dependency System. Shannon worked as a Case Manager for four years before transitioning into a Family Adoption Specialist, where she worked with adoptive families looking to adopt from foster care. Shannon eventually worked for the lead agency providing technical assistance, support, and oversight to the case management agencies in Pinellas and Pasco Counties. Wanting to gain management experience, Shannon then went to work for a Hillsborough community based care organization as an Assistant Program Director where she was responsible for three case management supervisors, 25 case managers, and provided direct oversight on cases involving approximately 600 children in the Dependency System.

Shannon’s passion for adoption and creating families through adoption led her to Heart of Adoptions where she joined the adoptions team in February 2018 as a Senior Case Worker and Intake Coordinator. In her role, she worked directly with birth mothers conducting intake interviews, screening birth parents, and matched adoption applicants. In August 2021, Shannon transitioned into a new role writing child studies for the Community Based Care agencies. Shannon’s knowledge and background in Child Welfare and continued desire for children to find permanency serve her well in this role. Shannon hopes to grow this position by securing more contracts throughout the state of Florida.

Fun Facts

• Band/Musician: Bon Jovi
• Bucket List Travel Destination: If I could make it through the plane ride, I would go to South Africa.
• Sports Team: Auburn (War Eagle)
• Quote: Early is on time, and on time is late.
• Memory with spouse or child: One of my favorite memories, was our gender reveal party. It was so great to celebrate with friends and family and learning we were having a daughter and watching my husband’s reaction was just priceless. We obviously knew we were pregnant, but I feel like in that moment, it became real.