let me introduce myself 

Shannon (Shay) Spencer-Watson

Disabled Army Veteran. MST Survivor and Advocate. Wife. Mother. 

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I’m Shannon Spencer-Watson—Shay to most. I’m a mother, a wife, a disabled Army veteran, and a woman who turned unimaginable pain into undeniable purpose.

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I survived Military Sexual Trauma while serving in the U.S. Army. That trauma nearly broke me. I battled alcoholism. I lived through PTSD. I lost my identity more than once. But I fought my way back—and now, I use my story and my voice to ensure no one else has to suffer in silence.

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Today, I serve as a Trustee appointed by Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin. I’ve advised the Biden Administration on MST policy.  I trained law enforcement on trauma-informed response. And I work across advocacy, leadership, and policy spaces to push for systems that center healing, equity, and lived experience.

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Still, I don’t lead with titles—I lead with truth.

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Because the truth is, I’ve been the woman who smiled in public and unraveled in private. I’ve been the strong one, the silent one, the one who kept it all together until she couldn’t. And I know how powerful it is to be seen, heard, and believed.

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That’s why I do this work.

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My calling is rooted in vulnerability, leadership, and community. Whether I’m mentoring survivors, speaking on national stages, or showing up for women just trying to keep going, I show up fully. No masks. No fluff. Just honesty, heart, and hard-earned wisdom.

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Some days, I’m in policy meetings on Capitol Hill. Other days, I’m wearing sweatpants, standing in a grocery store aisle, wondering what’s for dinner. Both versions of me are valid. Both matter, and I write and share about both.

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Because healing is not about perfection—it’s about being real, and choosing to rise.