Shakira (Shak) Butler was born and raised in Los Angeles. She studied International Relations at the University of Southern California with a dream of facilitating change around the world. Instead of becoming a diplomat in the Middle East, she decided to teach in Inglewood, CA at Morningside High School. Passionate about poetry she created a Hip-Hop curriculum: part Langston Hughes, part Shakespeare and part Jay-Z + Eminem.

She’s also worked in Learning & Development at companies that created or disrupted entire industries including ING Direct Mortgage, an online bank that changed the way we do banking. At Sky Zone, the first in-door wall-to-wall trampoline park, she helped franchise owners open stores in Canada, Saudi Arabia, Mexico and all over the U.S.

Her approach to development may include rap lyrics, a YouTube video or Carol Dweck's best selling book, Mindset". She's 1 part Creator