Shanna Underwood Means

Who Is Shanna Underwood Means?

Shanna Underwood Means is an American educator and the eldest sister of Grammy-winning country music superstar Carrie Underwood. She was born on September 5, 1970, in Checotah, Oklahoma.

While her youngest sister captivates millions on stage, Shanna has spent over 30 years quietly shaping young minds in Oklahoma classrooms. She is a wife, a mother, and a beloved teacher. Her story proves that impact does not always come with a spotlight.

She followed her mother’s path, becoming a teacher. She is a married elementary school teacher and has three children of her own.

Early Life: Growing Up in Checotah, Oklahoma

A Small Town With Big Values

Shanna was born on September 5, 1970, in the charming town of Checotah, Oklahoma. Raised by Carole, a dedicated teacher, and Stephen, who worked in paper mills and sawmills, Shanna’s upbringing embodied humility and determination.

Checotah is a small, close-knit community nestled about an hour southwest of Tulsa. Carole described it to Today in 2021 as “a small town — everybody knows everybody.”

It was exactly the kind of place where neighbors look out for one another. It was also the kind of place where teachers are heroes.

A Household Built on Education

Education was the foundation of the Underwood home. Carrie Underwood’s father worked in a paper mill while her mother taught elementary school. Carole Underwood’s dedication to teaching left a deep impression on all three of her daughters.

Carrie has spoken about this directly: “Teaching was something that ran in my family. I have always admired my mother and sisters for making a difference in the lives of so many.”

That admiration started with Shanna — the first of the three sisters to follow their mother into the classroom.

Sisters: Stephanie and Carrie

Shanna grew up with two younger sisters. Growing up with two sisters — Stephanie Shelton and Carrie Underwood — Shanna had quite the family dynamics.

Shanna is the eldest of the three. Shanna is 13 years older than Carrie, and Stephanie is 10 years older. Because of this age gap, Carrie has joked that she sometimes felt like an only child. However, the three sisters share a bond that has only grown stronger with time.

Now mothers of their own, Carrie, Shanna and Stephanie lean on each other for support more than ever.

Teaching Career: Over 30 Years of Shaping Young Lives

Checotah Public Schools (1995–2000)

According to LinkedIn, Shanna (Underwood) Means was a teacher at her hometown’s Checotah Public School from 1995 to 2000.

She began her career just a short walk from where she grew up. These early years gave her a strong foundation. They also gave her something more personal — the chance to teach children from the same community that raised her.

Liberty Public Schools: A Long-Term Home (2000–Present)

In 2000, she moved to Liberty Public Schools in Mounds, Oklahoma, just a short drive from Checotah.

Shanna is still listed as a teacher at Liberty Public School. Her commitment to this school district spans well over two decades. Furthermore, a 2005 Senate resolution that congratulated Carrie Underwood confirmed Shanna’s work, identifying her as a teacher in Liberty Mounds, Oklahoma.

This level of dedication is rare. Therefore, it speaks volumes about the kind of educator Shanna truly is.

The TeachersCount Campaign: A Public Moment of Recognition

One of the most public recognitions of Shanna’s teaching career came through an award-winning national campaign. Carrie Underwood was featured in “Behind Every Famous Person is a Fabulous Teacher,” an award-winning ad campaign in support of TeachersCount.org, pairing celebrities with their favorite educators. In Carrie’s case, she was spotlighted alongside three teachers: her mom, a 25-year teaching veteran, and sisters Stephanie Underwood Shelton and Shanna Underwood Means, who are both currently working as educators in Tennessee and Oklahoma, respectively.

This campaign gave Shanna rare national visibility — and she earned every bit of it.

The 2018 Oklahoma Teacher Strike: Standing Up for Education

In 2018, Shanna Underwood Means showed her strength differently. She joined other teachers in Oklahoma to protest for better school funding.

In 2018, Carrie voiced her support for her sisters and fellow educators amid an Oklahoma teacher’s strike.

Because Shanna chose to stand alongside her colleagues, her sister stood with her. This moment showed that behind every great teacher is a story of courage — and in Shanna’s case, the support of one of country music’s biggest stars.

Family Life: Marriage, Children, and a Quiet Oklahoma Home

Husband: Martin Means

Shanna is married to Martin Means, a simple and supportive man from Oklahoma. He is known as a local businessman, but he also prefers to stay away from public attention, just like Shanna.

Together, Martin and Shanna have built a life rooted in shared values — hard work, family, and quiet contentment.

Children: Cody, Breanna, and Max

The couple has three children named Cody, Breanna, and Max. As a mother, Shanna focuses on giving her children a normal and stable upbringing.

Their children grew up learning strong values like kindness, respect, and hard work.

Home: Kellyville, Oklahoma

Shanna lives in Kellyville, Oklahoma, with her family. Kellyville is a small town in Creek County, close to her Checotah roots.

She has never sought the big city. Instead, she has stayed close to the community that shaped her — and continued to shape it in return.

Her Bond With Carrie Underwood

Present at Every Milestone

Shanna and Carrie share a close sisterly bond that has endured across decades of very different lives. Shanna and Stephanie showed up to see Carrie receive her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2018, and they posed for pics with their famous sister.

Carrie has spoken fondly of her sisters, crediting them for supporting her dreams and keeping her humble despite her fame.

A Family of Teachers That Carrie Admires

Carrie has said: “Teaching was something that ran in my family. I have always admired my mother and sisters for making a difference in the lives of so many.”

This quote says everything. Shanna is not a footnote in Carrie’s story. She is one of its most important chapters.