Shontell Saunders-Murphy was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and is the oldest sibling in her family. She proudly served in the United States Navy, receiving an honorable discharge in 1995. During her service, she completed boot camp in Orlando, Florida, served as a Master-at-Arms, and later attended Yeoman training school. She went on to serve as Yeoman to both the Commanding Officer and Executive Officer at Recruit Training Command in Orlando, her first duty station, where she developed a strong foundation in leadership, organization, and operational excellence.

 

Shontell holds an Associate degree in Business and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Healthcare Management from Central Christian College of Kansas.

 

Building on her military and academic experience, she worked as a Network Contract Manager with UnitedHealthcare, where she successfully negotiated physician contracts for the Veterans Affairs Community Care Network from inception through implementation. She currently serves as President and CEO of Veterans Advocate, Inc., an organization dedicated to helping veterans navigate the VA disability compensation claims process.

 

Committed to service beyond her profession, Shontell has held multiple leadership roles within the community, including serving on the Executive Board of American Veterans as Public Relations Officer and on the Executive Board of the National Association of Black Military Women as Social Media and Public Relations Officer.

 

Shontell also serves as a Disaster Relief Advocate with the Small Business Administration (SBA) as they collaborate with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to assist disaster survivors rebuild from loss.

A devoted mother of three and grandmother of four, Shontell is deeply passionate about advocating for veterans, their families, and underserved communities. Outside of her advocacy work, she enjoys spending time with family, volunteering, traveling, and expanding her real estate and e-commerce ventures.