Shenise McKnight (Wigfall), a proud member of the Sac High Class of 2008, has never shied away from a challenge or an opportunity. During her four years at Sac High, she made her mark in every way possible: serving as Student Body President, participating in the Small School Senate, as captain of the cheerleading team, competing in track and field, dancing with the 34th Street Dance Company, and acting as a student spokesperson at public events. Her dedication and leadership earned her the St. HOPE Student of the Year award in 2008.

While still a student at Sac High, she founded her own PR firm to represent student athletes and performers, helping them navigate the entertainment industry through media training and major publication placements. This early entrepreneurial spirit set the tone for a career that would span politics, media, and global business.

After graduation, Shenise attended Howard University, where she majored in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing. She served as Howard’s Homecoming Chairwoman, earned the “Bison of the Year” award, and even worked in the office of D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty. Shenise made history as the youngest-ever parade organizer for President Barack Obama’s inaugural celebration—a full-circle moment, having seen him and sharing the stage with him during his campaign years earlier in San Francisco and Sacramento when she was a Sac High student.

Back in Sacramento, she joined Mayor Kevin Johnson’s office as a Community Engagement organizer during her summers, before moving on to represent powerhouse brands through top media agencies. Some more notable media clients were Sony PlayStation, Adidas’ Ivy Park and Pokemon. She helped launch PlayStation’s biggest game in history, Spider-Man and shaped media campaigns that reached global audiences.

Now, Shenise leads Google’s International Agency Growth Program in New York, overseeing $8 billion in ad revenue; advising media agencies and major clients like ChatGPT, Coca-Cola, and Peloton on international marketing strategies. Lastly, she was recently named Leading Women Defined’s 25 Under 35 Rising Leaders, recognizing the next generation of executives to watch.

Despite her career success, Shenise is most proud of her role as a mom to Carter (11) and Camden (8). When she’s not managing global accounts or speaking at industry events, she enjoys cooking, traveling, spending time with her husband Gregory, and staying close with her lifelong circle of Sac High friends—including her former student government teammates, who are now her children’s godmothers.

Reflecting on her time at Sac High, Shenise credits the school with preparing her to thrive in college and beyond. “I was in a unique position to do a lot of the work I do now while still in high school,” she says. “Sac High gave me the confidence to ask for things others might shy away from.”

Her advice to current and future SHPS students is simple but powerful: “It’s okay not to know exactly what you want to do—but you should know what you’re passionate about. Lean into that. Focus on your own path. To know yourself is to know your passion.”