Empowerment defines Women’s History Month for Shaqunna Duncan, who serves as Budget Officer II for the City of Philadelphia, Department of Aviation. “It’s empowering to see so many amazing women throughout history power through adversity,” she reflects. The month celebrates the women who shape, contribute, and make a difference in society. In Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) roles, women are often underrepresented. From a young age, Duncan knew her passion for numbers and excelled in math. “Math was always my thing,” she shares. “It came naturally to me. I was great with money and counting and worked at many financial institutions before joining PHL-PNE.”
As Budget Officer II at the Department of Aviation, Duncan oversees the airports’ operating budget, which includes everything from employee payroll to paper products, as well as the airport budgets for city departments including Philadelphia Fire Department’s Engine 78, the Office of Information Technology (OIT), Philadelphia Police Department’s Airport Unit and other interdepartmental units.
She recalls her arrival 11 years ago and meeting her incredible mentor, Sheila Trueheart. “Sheila played a pivotal role in shaping me into the supervisor and manager I am today,” Duncan says. “When I interviewed for a clerk position, I had the choice to work in Accounts Payable or Payroll, but only one day to decide. Within an hour, Human Resources contacted me to say Sheila had chosen me. She saw something in me that day, and I will forever be grateful. No one could have predicted I'd be in her position seven years later.”
Duncan revels in collaborating with every unit at PHL and PNE and connecting with external stakeholders. She is especially busy collaborating with all the Department’s thirty plus units right now as the airport prepares to present its annual budget request to City Council. “I’ve learned so much from these interactions,” she asserts. “Every person inspires me; it doesn’t matter if they’re a public figure or a private citizen. Anyone doing something positive in the world and helping others is an inspiration to me every day.”
For Duncan, inclusion is one of the most important aspects of Women’s History Month. “Seeing someone who looks like you and shares your gender doing great things is significant,” she explains. “Growing up and seeing a Black woman doing great things made me feel good and included.”
Completing her bachelor’s degree in accounting from Pierce College in 2017 stands as a personal triumph for Duncan, who is the first in her immediate family to graduate from college. Although she began her educational journey in 2005, her plans shifted when she learned she was pregnant. “I was a teen mom who gave birth to twins at eighteen in 2006,” she notes. “It was a long journey to graduate, but I knew I wanted to finish. My mother inspired me by returning to earn her high school diploma after dropping out to care for her sick parents. It doesn’t matter how long it takes you to do something; what matters is that you do it.”
Duncan encourages all women to discover the industry or work that inspires them most. “Make your own space in this world because no one will make it for you,” she tells her daughter every day.
