Shannon Sylvia

Shannon Sylvia, originally from the Boston, MA area, developed an early interest in paranormal activity stemming from experiences in her childhood home, which was situated on the site of King Philip’s War and plagued by poltergeist activity for 21 years. This personal history informed her career trajectory. She holds Bachelor of Science degrees in Communications/Graphic Design and Fine Arts. Sylvia initially trained as a ballet dancer until the age of 26 and is self-taught in piano, flute, and violin. She also has a family history connected to the spiritual, with her great-grandfather, Frederick Sontag from Germany, being an escape artist, psychic medium, and tarot card reader. These early influences and experiences set the stage for her future involvement in paranormal investigation.

Sylvia’s career evolved significantly in the paranormal field. Her domestic experiences with the supernatural led to her joining a TAPS family team as a paranormal investigator. Her efforts and expertise were recognized, leading to her selection for SyFy’s “Ghost Hunters International” as one of the six investigators, and an appearance as a client on A&E’s “Paranormal State.” She introduced the ‘Ghost Hunting Grid Laser’ to the public and co-invented the iWay, a Ouija Board planchette that measures finger pressure, featured in Fate and Mysteries Magazines. Her literary contributions include co-authoring “Paranormal Unwrapped” with Katie Boyd, published in December 2012, which quickly earned a five-star review from Examiner.com. She lectures at colleges and universities nationwide on paranormal topics. Beyond her work in the paranormal, Sylvia is also the president of a graphic design agency and owns and operates a cakery, Shancakes, an award-winning business.