Daniela Susnara is the program director of the Shelby Institute for Policy and Leadership at the University of Alabama, a nonpartisan, interdisciplinary, and student-focused unit dedicated to educating and training future leaders. The Shelby Institute utilizes experiential learning, undergraduate research and civic engagement to teach students about policy, leadership, and public service. Dr. Susnara previously served as director of planning and assessment for Community Engagement with the University's Division of Community Affairs. Her work on the University's Board of Advisors, Council on Community-Based Partnerships, and other projects evaluated and promoted community engagement. She connected students on-campus with community engagement through Swim to the Top and Vision Days, among others. Her research focuses on out-of-school time program effectiveness, the integration of community engagement within the kinesiology discipline, and the impact of community engagement on college students. Dr. Susnara earned her B.S., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Alabama.