We had the good fortune of connecting with Dr. Shanna Jackson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dr. Shanna, let’s start by talking about what inspires you?
There are many things in life that inspire me to continue to thrive and grow as an individual. My primary inspiration is my father who passed away when I was 6 years old. My father was a great person and an amazing dad. From what i can recall most of my time was spent with him as he was retired from the military and my mother was still working her full-time jobs. My father would take me to and from school, sit with me to read and do homework, and take me out with him to visit my aunts and cousins. My uncles always tell me what a great person he was and that his actions with me as a child instilled in me the habits i have now. Therefore, i feel a duty to continue to make him proud in whatever endeavor i peruse. Another inspiration of mine are my 2 boys who are currently 11 and 9 years old. I had my first son at the age of 28 and went back to school to complete my nurse practitioner certification when he was 4 years old and my youngest was 2 years old. After completing my Nurse Practitioner in 2018, i then went back to school to complete my doctorate degree in nursing practice. Both of my boys would hold me accountable to make sure my work was done and turned in on time. They are very observant and are watching what and how i do things and that inspires me to let them see that you can do anything you set your mind to.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I currently work as a nurse practitioner in an endocrinology department and primarily focus on the management of osteoporosis and bone density loss. I have worked with this organization for 22 years and have been able to grow within the organization where I started off as a medical assistant. After being hired on as a medical assistant I then transitioned into several roles including Licensed Vocational Nurse, Registered Nurse, and now a doctorate prepared Nurse Practitioner. Getting to where I am now, professionally, was not easy as there were many obstacles along the way that could have deterred me from achieving these goals. However, determined to be successful, I looked to my inspirations and support person to keep me going.

Upon initially getting hired with my current organization, I was able to meet a woman by the name of Mona Clayton, who was my charge nurse and a great mentor and person. After I transferred facilities, I was able to cross paths with her again on social media and learned that she started her own nonprofit organization focused on helping develop nurses and provide resources to help them be successful. Upon learning about the organization, The Nurses Pub, I later volunteered as a member of the advisory board and been able to be a guest speaker to high school STEM students as part of a mentoring program. This organization has also contributed to my growth professionally and we are currently planning a fundraising Gala that will also provide several scholarships to current nursing students. Funds raised are to go towards the development of a resource center for nursing students in the greater LA area.

In addition to my professional career in healthcare I have always had a love for fitness and been an athlete. I played softball in high school and now recreationally, was a runner and participated in several races, and now have gotten into bodybuilding in the past year. I have won several competitions, including the most recent Mr. & Mrs. Muscle Beach 2023 on the 4th of July. After getting into bodybuilding, i realized how much of an impact I could have on our youth, especially with obesity being the highest in this age group than ever. Most trainers focus on adult clients; however, I want to do something different and have a primary focus on our youth. This led me to complete my Youth Exercise Specialist certification and Sports Nutrition Coach certification. My boys are very active in baseball and have picked up on healthy nutrition habits. I donated my time to his baseball organization during their summer camps and provided the youth with a nutrition workshop to begin to instill these habits and knowledge in their daily lives. My goal is to be able to provide my services and have an impact on our youth and contribute to a reduction in the obesity rates and their overall health starting from a nutrition standpoint.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I currently live in Moreno Valley and would say my favorite restaurant out here is Kalaveras for their food, drinks and ambiance. Aside from working out and the gym, i would say other things to do would be to visit downtown Riverside, where there are many other restaurants and places to hang out and have a good time. My kids and I love to visit the Mission Inn during the Christmas holiday season as there are many things to do out there from princess carriages to the light show set up at the Mission Inn. In addition to this, there are several hiking trails in the Inland Empire area, however the most popular one they love the most is to go up Mount Rubidoux.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would definitely want to recognize several people that have played a role in where i am today. First and foremost is the heavenly man up above for giving me the strength to get through many trying times and to continue to have success in life. Secondly, would be my mother. At the age of 68 my mother had a stroke and came to live with me. Since then, she has had 2 additional strokes and has some physical and residual effects. Despite this, she still goes above and beyond to try and help me, as a single parent, with my boys and other things around the house. Her support is greatly appreciated and i know that i would not be able to do all that i do without her support.

Instagram: @DrFitNP

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