(Shannon Bex, Vooks Co-Founder and Chief Communications Officer, sits amongst animated friends, Cinderella, Iz and Norb | Photography: Benjamin Edwards, Iz & Norb Illustrations: Jonathan Sundy and Cinderella Illustrations: Natasha Hirtzel)
When longtime Bend resident Shannon Bex graduated from Mountain View High School, she had a passion for entertainment and performing. From reality television to traveling the world as a member of the chart-topping pop group Danity Kane, Bex has accomplished just that and now so much more as one of the co-founders of Vooks.
Bex, along with her older brother, Marshall, and professional colleague Russell Hirtzel, are the co-founders of the Portland/Bend-based company Vooks. Vooks is the world’s first and only Subscription Video on Demand (SVOD) streaming platform, bringing storybooks to life through animation. The two-year-old startup is committed to instilling a deep love for books and reading in children from an early age. As co-founders, Marshall Bex also is chief executive officer, Hirtzel is the chief content officer and Shannon Bex serves as chief communications officer.
In her role as chief communications officer, Bex seamlessly translates her extensive knowledge of the music industry, marketing, branding and contracts into the world of publishing, evolving her expertise as she builds strong networking connections and tackles publishing rights, licensing and more, to help the Vooks brand reach new heights. Under her guidance, Vooks has enjoyed notable collaborations with landmark properties, as well as iconic figures such as Academy Award-winning actress Kate Winslet, whom Bex was able to secure to voice over the popular pandemic-themed book And The People Stayed Home for the platform.
Bex first became enthralled by entertainment and performance at the age of six, when she began dance training in Portland and then in Bend. She would continue to develop this passion into high school, making it her focus and taking advantage of any outlet she could. Dancing ultimately led to singing, spurred on, in part, by her aunts who comprised the Country duo Oregon Lace, who wrote and recorded their own songs. Bex grew up watching her aunts perform, even on a national singing competition television show, which she says showed her that “the world is attainable, because I saw my own family members pursuing something and having their own success. I think that planted that seed.”
Following high school, she joined the NBA’s Trailblazers Dance team, where she met her husband, who was serving as choreographer. From there, Bex would go on to become a multi-platinum recording artist with Danity Kane, which she performed with from 2005-2019 after being handpicked for the group as a contestant on Season 3 of MTV’s Making The Band. Under the guidance of mogul and mentor Sean “Diddy’’ Combs, Bex gained hands-on experience in the business side of the music industry, reviewing licensing deals and contracts, completing PR training through Atlantic Records and managing brand development. Her other entertainment credentials include performing as one-half of the Rolling Stone-acclaimed indie duo Dumblonde, and finishing as the top female finalist on NBC’s 2003 music competition series Fame.
Though her career has taken her across the globe and supplied her with a wide variety of “bucket list moments,” Bex’s heart has remained firmly in Bend, where she and her family moved during her freshman year of high school. “When I come home, it’s my soul time,” she says. “That’s my time to put my feet on the ground, that’s my time to reconnect with reality.”
The Central Oregon enclave has held a special meaning for Bex throughout her life, and she is proud to call Bend home to this day. “My dad is from Prineville and a lot of my family lived in the Central Oregon area, so when we would go on vacations or have family reunions, this was always part of my family base,” she explains. “I love everything about Bend and I always knew my roots would be here.”
