
Shantel Hanniford
Shantel Hanniford was born in Kingston, Jamaica and migrated to Nantucket, Massachusetts in 2000 at a tender age of seven years old. It was there she spent most of her childhood with her father, stepmom, and her siblings. Shantel was an active member of the community where she played three sports (soccer, basketball, and softball), member of the National Honors Society, and leader in her church. Growing up on an island taught her the importance of community and what it means to look out for others.
Shantel recently returned back to Hartford to start her new role as the Principal at Grace Academy in downtown Hartford. Shantel earned her Master’s of Art in Educational Leadership and Administration from George Washington University and received her Bachelors of Science in Psychology and Education from Trinity College in Hartford, CT. Since receiving her undergraduate degree in 2014 she has maintained roots in Hartford teaching at two different schools over the span of four years. Right out of college she joined Grace Academy, where she taught History for three years. In her second year at Grace Academy, she was offered the Athletic Director position, which she held for two years.
After teaching, coaching, and being an Athletic Director at Grace Academy for three years, Shantel moved to her second school in Hartford at Achievement First Summit. After teaching history for a year at Achievement First Summit, Shantel moved to Lakeville, Ct to teach history at Indian Mountain School (IMS). She remained at Indian Mountain for five years as the school’s first Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).
Shantel is a dedicated member of her church Pentecostal Tabernacle Apostolic (PTA) in Hartford. She enjoys playing and watching basketball. She loves spending time with her family and reading.

Kiayani Douglas
Kiayani Douglas is a New England-based interdisciplinary portrait artist known for her captivating artwork that layers patterns and portraits to explore race, history, and privilege. She holds a BFA in ceramics and an interdisciplinary MFA from the University of Hartford, CT.
Kiayani teaches, exhibits her work throughout New England, and has had solo shows at Springfield Technical Community College and Pulp Gallery. Her art has sparked conversations and she has been featured in interviews, including on the regional PBS program Connecting Point. Kiayani has also conducted workshops at the Hudson River Museum and her work is held in private collections.
Douglas currently teaches at The Taft School as a ceramics teacher and yearbook advisor.
