Home Pickleball Joy Crazy Life Newsletter
About Contact

About Shannon

 
Shannon Diffenderffer, M.Ed., Founder of Joy Crazy, LLC, loves to teach pickleball to new players. When she's not on the court, she's often spending time enjoying the Pacific Northwest. Here she is kayaking on the Willamette River with famliy pooch, Hannah, who sadly passed away, but loved adventures on the water.

Welcome to Joy Crazy!


Hi, I’m Shannon Diffenderffer, M.Ed., Founder and Chief “Daisy” of Joy Crazy®.

Joy Crazy® is a community where adults can discover joy, build confidence, and create meaningful connections—whether on the pickleball court, online, or in everyday life.

As a former member of Toastmasters International I enjoy public speaking, especially when the subject is pickleball, joy advocacy, or sharing what we are building with Joy Crazy®. If your organization is looking for a skilled motivational speaker, I’d love to connect.

(Click on photo above for caption.)

The Journey: How Joy Crazy Began

From hospital gowns to pickleball courts—this is where Joy Crazy began.

Shannon Diffenderffer, M.Ed., underwent multiple reconstructive surgeries beginning at age four, when doctors began “building” her right ear using cartilage from her ribs and skin grafts from several areas of her body. In this photo, her head is wrapped following surgery as she hugs a new doll. Notice how her jaw appears shorter on the right side—a difference later corrected in college when surgeons broke her jaw and realigned it using bone from her hip. Her mouth was then wired shut for six weeks!
As an adult, Shannon has undergone numerous surgeries, including the implantation of an abutment in her skull to anchor a Cochlear® bone-anchored hearing aid (BAHA). In her late forties, she returned to school to pursue nursing, but complications from carpal tunnel surgery—combined with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic—required her to step away from the program.

I was born with microtia atresia—without a right ear and full jaw development—which meant surgeries and hospital stays shaped my childhood. Later, I faced new challenges: undiagnosed ADHD, carpal tunnel syndrome, and sciatica. Happily, in 2019, I learned about new hearing technology and was fitted with a Cochlear® Bone Anchored Hearing Aid (BAHA) that now gives me limited hearing on my right side.

The surgeries, physical therapy, infections, scars, and pain did test me, and sometimes they brought sadness—but they also taught me something invaluable. These experiences led to a personal motto I embraced while an undergrad at UC San Diego, and still hold dear today: "Turn Challenges Into Opportunities."

The COVID-19 pandemic and unexpected medical setbacks ended my plans for a second career in nursing, but they also opened a new path. I had first discovered pickleball while in nursing school, and I knew it had the power to spark joy and bring people together—something we all craved after months of isolation. With guidance from my local Small Business Development Center (SBDC), I launched Joy Crazy® (see SBDC's video of me here). Now, as a Certified IPTPA Pickleball Instructor, I get to “work” each day doing what I love: blending learning, compassion, and play to build a joyful community.

(Click on photos for captions.)

The West Coast is Home

Exploring life, laughter, and adventure in the Pacific Northwest.

Shannon is glad to be near family. Here she spends time with her five year-old nephew on the windswept beach in Lincoln City, Oregon.
Here's Shannon with hubby Dave, and McMenamins mascot, Ruby (in pointed witch hat) at the 2024 McMenamins Tripster party at the Grand Lodge hotel in Forest Grove, Oregon.
Shannon and Dave have a blended family. Here is almost the whole crew during a visit to the famed Grotto and it's beautiful gardens in Portland, Oregon. From left are Parker, Paige (Ian's girlfriend), Shannon, Ian, Dave, and Jason. Ryan was working this day (see him in the Beacon Rock photo).
From left, Dave, Ryan, and Shannon enjoy the beautiful views during a morning hike to Beacon Rock along the Columbia River Gorge in Washington. A proud former 4-H'er (her family raised goats), Girl Scout, and YMCA Adventure Trip Leader (canoeing, rock-climbing, and cycling), Shannon loves to get out and explore nature as often as possible.

A native of Southern California, I followed a boy to Michigan in my twenties. There I earned a Master’s degree in Adult Education from Michigan State University, raised two sons, taught at Jackson College, and co-ran a successful parenting magazine and radio show called "Kids in Common." I also learned the addicting card game, Euchre, and dice game, Bunco (if you know these games, let's play soon!)

While in Michigan, almost all of my immediate family—parents, sibblings, aunts, cousins—all moved to the Pacific Northwest. In 2016 I joined them, to reboot my life after an unexpected divorce. I am now happily settled in Portland, Oregon, alongside my husband, Dave, two stepsons, and our petite six-pound cat, Katie.

Life here is full of exploration and fun. Dave and I are proud “McMenamins Cosmic Tripsters,” having completed the passport challenge of visiting all fifty-six McMenamins locations in Oregon and Washington. We also enjoy outdoor adventures including hiking, paddleboarding, and yes, heading to the beach, even in winter.

Community has always been central to my life, whether in education, family, or play. Joy Crazy® is an extension of that—building spaces where people connect with each other and rediscover joy.

(Click on photos for captions.)

Why Pickleball? Why Joy Crazy?

Building confidence, sparking laughter, and creating community.

Instructor Shannon Diffenderffer, M.Ed. with pickleball students at Friendly House in Northwest Portland.
Joy Crazy community events include trips to area venues. Here Shannon and hubby, Dave, enjoy a soccer match at Providence Park with other community members for the Portland Timbers' first ever Pickleball Night.
Shannon and Dave enjoy visiting different pickleball venues around the Pacific Northwest. Here they joined other Joy Crazy community members to check out the new Pickleball Kingdom in Tigard, Oregon.
Shannon and Dave enjoy visiting different pickleball venues around the Pacific Northwest. Here they joined other Joy Crazy community members to check out the new Pickleball Kingdom in Tigard, Oregon.

Pickleball is more than a game—it’s fun, easy to learn, and naturally social. As a Certified IPTPA Instructor, I specialize in onboarding adult beginners, helping them build confidence, skills, and friendships from day one.

Most of my teaching takes place at the Friendly House community center in NW Portland, as well as through Portland Community College’s Community Education program. I teach my students to become their own "joy advocates" and to embrace an "I'm learning" attitude—where mistakes are okay—each time they step on the court.

With over 1,500 members in our Joy Crazy Pickleball Meetup group, and with the launch of our online community hub, Joy Crazy Connect, we’re expanding the circle of joy even further.

My mission is simple: to help adults—especially those navigating new chapters or managing health conditions—find laughter, confidence, and meaningful connections.

Whether you’re picking up a paddle for the first time or simply seeking a place to belong, I’d love to welcome you to Joy Crazy.

(Click on photos for captions.)