Luther alumnae Shannon Duval and Anjela Shutts to join Luther’s Board of Regents

Luther College President Paula Carlson announced that Luther alumnae Shannon Duval and Anjela Shutts will join Luther’s Board of Regents.

“We are excited to welcome Shannon Duval and Anjela Shutts to the Board of Regents,” said President Carlson. “These are two dedicated alumnae who have been actively involved in serving the college and will continue to do so with energy, commitment and wisdom as regents of the college.”

The regents serve as trustees and stewards, ensuring that Luther fulfills its mission and that the needs of students, faculty, staff and other college constituents are being met.

Shannon (Miller) Duval

“I am humbled, honored and enthused to serve Luther College as a regent. There are tremendous opportunities and challenges facing private, liberal arts colleges. I look forward to joining esteemed colleagues, dedicated to Luther College, as we work to maximize Luther’s relevance and value for students as well as our outstanding faculty and staff,” said Duval.

Both women were honored with the Jenson Medal at their Luther graduation. Luther’s Jenson Medal is presented each year to an outstanding senior, selected by the graduating class, who best demonstrates the ideals of the college through service to students and the college community.

Duval was awarded Luther’s Distinguished Service Award in 2015, recognizing her service to society and to Luther, and fidelity to the ideals of Luther. She, twice, received the “40 Under 40” award in both the Des Moines Business Record and the Corridor Business Journal.

After graduating cum laude from Luther in 1995 with degrees in English and political science, Duval received a master’s in higher education administration with a concentration in philanthropic studies from Indiana University, and pursued Ph.D. coursework in higher education administration from the University of Iowa. Duval also holds a Master of Jurisprudence in health law from Drake University Law School.

Duval served as director of development at the University of Iowa Foundation, raising funds for the Carver College of Medicine and University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. She also was a major gift officer for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, and the president of the St. Luke’s Health Care Foundation in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Most recently, Duval spent six years as the president of the Mercy Medical Center Foundation in Des Moines, Iowa.

Duval is the president and chief development officer for Catholic Health Initiatives, one of the largest nonprofit health systems in the United States. She is a faculty member and dean for the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy, as well as a committee member for the Mission and Ministry Fund of the Board of Stewardship Trustees at Catholic Health Initiatives.

She has served Luther as a class agent and continues to contribute to Luther through her financial support of the Annual Fund, as a Strategic Planning participant and a member of the Heritage Club.

Duval and her husband, DeLane, reside in Castle Rock, Colorado, with their sons Miller and Kiefer.

Anjela Shutts

“I am humbled beyond words to be able to serve Luther in this capacity. Luther College holds a very special place in my heart as the place where not only was I educated, but made life-long friends with other students and members of the faculty. I hope to be able to support the mission of the college as it provides meaningful, long lasting and formative experiences to current and future generations of students,” said Shutts.

Since graduating from Drake University Law School in 1996, Shutts has practiced law with Whitfield & Eddy law firm in Des Moines, Iowa. In 2003, she became a partner in the firm. She has served as the Family Law Practice Group Chair and member of the firm’s Executive Committee.

Among her many accomplishments Shutts was honored by Best Lawyers in America and Great Plains Super Lawyers for her work in family law matters. She was named to the Drake University College of Law “150 in 150” list of outstanding alumni in 2015 and was awarded the Polk County Bar Association Award of Merit in 2017.

Her practice focuses on domestic relations and she is certified to mediate family law by the Iowa Supreme Court. She also practices in the area of collaborative law and divorce.

A Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, she fulfilled the criteria and standards established by the AAML Board of Examiners and Board of Governors and is recognized by attorneys and judges as a leading practitioner.

A sought-after speaker on topics for continuing education of Iowa Family Law practitioners, she is considered a leader in the Iowa State Bar Association. Shutts was named to the Iowa Family Law Case Processing Reform Task Force Steering Committee and was granted membership to the Iowa State Judicial Nominating Commission for Polk County.

Shutts is married to Peter Kitundu. They are the parents of two daughters””Mary Elisabeth and Lillian.

A national liberal arts college with an enrollment of 2,050, Luther offers an academic curriculum that leads to the Bachelor of Arts degree in more than 60 majors and pre-professional programs. For more information about Luther visit the college’s website: http://www.luther.edu.