Shawna Denise Arterberry-Ridley is a native of Tyler, TX,born September 1, 1969, to the parents of Bernice Johns and Bobby Lawson. She is a 1987 graduate from John Tyler High School. She obtained her undergraduate degree from Texas  Woman's University in Denton, TX, and pursued her graduate degree from Amber University. Shawna graduated from UT Southwestern School of Health Professions in 1998, and went on to train thousands of professionals in health information management technology and coding.

Shawna held the current position as Health System Operations Director for the Health Information Management Department and was inducted into the Dallas Fort Worth Health Information Management Association (DFW HIM) Hall of fame in 2019. She has served as an adjunct professor at DeVry University, and other local colleges. She was the Past President of the Dallas/Fort Worth Health Information

Management Association and served as the Finance Chair of the Texas Health Information Management Association.

Shawna also served as the DFW HIM Treasurer for three banner years. She was appointed the first Employee Advisory Chair for UT from 2010-2012. She served on several task forces at UT Southwestern Medical Center, and was an Employee Engagement expert for newly boarded leadership

In 2012. she was one of Governor Rick Perry's Texas Women Hall of Fame nominees.

Shawna was the founder of Platinum G.R.I.T.S (Gifted Respectable Intelligent and Talented Sisters). She inspired women to travel to destinations both domestic abroad. Over the decades, Shawna has mentored over 200 students from her various teaching affiliations.

While attending Texas Woman's University in Denton, TX, she became a member of the Kappa Nu Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc . Since becoming a member, Shawna has remained active in the sorority, and was a member of the Alpha Xi Omega Chapter in Dallas, TX

Shawna was preceded in death by her mother and father Bernice Johns and Bobby Lawson, stepfather Augustus Wright, grandparents Wilford and Eva Adams, and Hampton and Era Williams Arterberry.

Precious memories will forever linger in the hearts of her brother Anthony Arterberry, along with stepbrothers and sisters Bobby Lawson Jr., Bobbie Ruth-Cook, Mechael Jackson Washington, Alma Davis, Donna Moore, Karen Lawson, Brenda Mackey James, Ray Hall, Tara Pryor and a host of aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces/nephews, godchildren and other relatives.