Our Consultant Spotlight series lets us tell the stories of the people who make up the Lions & Tigers community. Shanti Barnes is a true Seattleite with a love of the outdoors and an adventurous spirit. With a background in journalism and PR, she values interesting work, but more importantly she values the people she works with and those she calls family and friends.

ABOUT SHANTI

I am a born and raised Seattleite. It’s an amazing place to call home base. My daughter Addison is 7 years old and we have a 1-year-old Bernedoodle named Revy. He came home the first week of the Covid-19 lockdown here and has brought so much love and levity to quarantine! He is essentially 80+lbs of fluffy goofball. My husband, Ian, and I met through a mutual friend.  Our first date was actually a weekend of hiking around Whistler, BC. It’s a great symbol of what initially brought us together and the things we still try to prioritize today – adventure, spontaneity, and being outdoors.

BEST THING ABOUT CALLING SEATTLE HOME

In addition to the amazing support system and family we have here, we love the proximity to hiking and skiing. We’re happiest outdoors in the fresh air!

PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE

I started as a newspaper journalist and that season of life was one big adventure – most days felt like a field trip and on the best days I got to cover stories for the Outdoor or Lifestyle section. One of those adventures led me to non-profit, then agency PR, then in-house. I loved each of these roles for the same reason – the people I was privileged to with work with and learn from. Same goes for my consulting clients and partners today!

CURRENT ROLE

Right now, I am working with the Microsoft Energy group on marketing and PR. It’s a new topic for me and I have already learned a ton, which is my sweet spot.

TOP OF THE ADVENTURE LIST

This list is ever evolving, but some at the top include skiing in Chile, living internationally, exploring New Zealand, and touring Cinque Terre, Italy.

WHY LIONS & TIGERS

I met Allison and Brea, and about 10 minutes into our conversation, I just KNEW I had to work with L&T in some capacity. With my daughter doing second grade online and a host of other positive -but major- life changes my husband and I made since the pandemic started, the option to continue doing work I loved and to be part of such a dynamic, supportive community was exactly what I had hoped for.

FAVORITE BOOK, SHOW, PODCAST OR MOVIE

I am obsessed with podcasts and audiobooks – they’re a great fit for my current season of life! Right now, I’m listening to “A Promised Land” by Barak Obama and “Untamed” by Glennon Doyle. Podcasts on rotation include Armchair Expert, NPR’s Life Kit, reruns of Home Cooking.

BIGGEST SOURCE OF INSPIRATION

That’s an easy one – my mom and grandma. They are the toughest, smartest, and kindest people I know, literal Superwomen!

AREAS OF INTEREST & PASSIONS

My family and friends; skiing, iced lattes and adventure! I am also passionate about building relationships, problem solving, and being a trusted partner and advisor for my clients.

BIGGEST BENEFIT TO HIGH IMPACT, FLEXIBLE WORK

I literally get to do it all!

ARE YOU A MORNING OR NIGHT PERSON?

Morning person!

FAVORITE FAMILY ACTIVITY

As a family our favorite thing to do together is explore. Addie is an amazing travel buddy and pretty much up for any adventure we introduce her to. When it’s just her and I, we can spend way too much time watching cute/funny dog Reels on Instagram.

ADVICE TO OTHERS NAVIGATING CAREER TRANSITIONS

In the beginning of my career, I wanted to work on the ‘sexy’ products and announcements, but after doing that for a while I realized my North Star was WHO I worked with versus WHAT I worked on.

FAVORITE FOOD

Oh, that’s a tough one! Favorite comfort food is my Oma’s German dumplings. Favorite food truck food is anything Mexican. I also love a good slice of NY pizza (in NYC 😊) and Thai takeout.

Interested in joining Lions & Tigers?  Check out our open roles here.