Rockwell Fund, Inc. Announces First Director of Community Development

Rockwell Fund, Inc. Announces First Director of Community Development

Rockwell Fund, Inc. is pleased to announce the selection of Shannon Buggs, a seasoned community development and strategic partnerships executive, as its first Director of Community Development.

Ms. Buggs brings more than 20 years of leadership experience spanning public, private, and nonprofit sectors. She has led major community development initiatives, including serving as the Founding Director of the Mayor’s Office of Complete Communities for the City of Houston, where she guided equitable development projects across 10 historically under-resourced neighborhoods. Her background includes executive roles in philanthropy, arts administration, healthcare communications, higher education, and journalism, demonstrating a uniquely interdisciplinary approach to strengthening community capacity and advancing equitable outcomes.

She has raised and leveraged more than $30 million for community development and quality-of-life initiatives, managed complex cross-sector collaborations, and built and supervised high-performing teams. Her experience also includes extensive grantmaking, stakeholder engagement, crisis management, and strategic communications.

Ms. Buggs holds a Master of Science in Journalism from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard University, and a Certificate in Financial Planning from the University of Houston. She is an active leader in Houston’s civic landscape, serving in various volunteer, advisory, and board roles across arts, education, and community organizations.

Rockwell Fund, Inc. looks forward to the vision and expertise Ms. Buggs will bring as she leads the organization’s expanding place-based community development strategy in Houston neighborhoods.