For the past 17 years Shauntell Dunbar has been helping people get their taxes done. Whether she was serving at the 1199 SEIU Union Hall, or the Boston Tax Help Coalition, as a Site Coordinator for the Central Site and Deaf, Inc., Shauntell comes to this role not only with a wealth of tax information but an understanding of her clients, her community, and what it takes to keep them informed and advocating for their own financial security.
Shauntell talks about the role with such a passion that one cannot help getting caught up in her enthusiasm to educate people about refunds, and what steps are possible, and needed, to help them keep funds in their pockets. She comments on her start at Dot Well, as a program coordinator, learning about predatory tax preparation, “The role is to combat this, to help people keep money in their pockets. Our clients are people who cannot afford to lose this money.”
Shauntell tells us “I feel committed to those clients. I have watched their children grow up, buy a home, and make financial gains. And I have been a part of that. This doesn’t end on April 15th.” She goes on to explain that one of her favorite parts of the interaction with clients is knowing them, beyond their paperwork, knowing their stories, and educating them on where they might be overpaying and how they can leverage those funds to live their lives.
Currently in a doctoral program, Shauntell also serves as full-time instructional coach with The Boston Public Schools, while putting in the remaining hours of the day ensuring that our clients receive her personalized care.