Shannon Spanhake

Shannon Spanhake is a controversial figure in the tech industry who has been involved in several ventures and roles, but her claims and background have been called into question.

Professional Background

Shannon Spanhake has claimed various positions and accomplishments, including:

• Founder and CEO of Cleo, a parenting support company13
• Advisor to the United Nations4
• Director of Marketing Communications at Planet Labs
• Deputy Innovation Officer for the City and County of San Francisco2

Controversy and Discrepancies

A Forbes investigation in 2019 uncovered several inconsistencies and false claims made by Spanhake:

• Age misrepresentation: She told Forbes she was 36 years old, but voter records from two states showed she was actually 42.13
• Fabricated award: Spanhake claimed to have received a "Top 100 Women Innovate Science and Technology" award from the non-existent Grace Hopper Foundation.1
• Exaggerated UN role: She described herself as a "UN expert for two years" when she had only presented at a UN workshop in Kazakhstan in 2015.1

Impact on Career

The revelations about Spanhake's misrepresentations led to significant consequences:

• The story she expected to be a profile of her successful company turned into an exposé of her deceptions.1
• Her credibility as a CEO and entrepreneur was severely damaged.3

It's important to note that while Spanhake has claimed various roles, including being an advisor to the United Nations, the extent and legitimacy of these positions have been called into question due to her history of misrepresentation.