Shannon McRandle is a professional model and make-up artist hired by Decipher, Inc. in 1999 to portray the character Mara Jade for the Star Wars Customizable Card Game. Decipher unknowingly began an entirely new Star Wars phenomenom.

Although Mara Jade has never appeared in any of the films, since being introduced in the 1991 best selling novel "Heir to the Empire" by Timothy Zahn, the character has acheived cult status with Star Wars fans. She has made appearances in over a dozen novels, a half dozen comics, short stories, games, and even has her own action figure.

Trained by the Emperor to be his personal assassin called "The Emperor's Hand," Mara Jade is given the mission to destroy Luke Skywalker. Years after the Emperor's death, mission unaccomplished, Mara finds herself working as a smuggler with Talon Karde. Mara struggles with her alliance to the Emperor, eventually frees herself of his will and the dark side, and begins down the path to her destiny...that of wife to Luke Skywalker and Jedi knight.

Since being cast as the saber swinging, side changing Jedi, Shannon has traveled all over the world and to dozens upon dozens of conventions as the physical representation of Mara. Before finding herself in constant demand at Star Wars events and conventions, Shannon made her way doing modeling and make-up artistry jobs all over the east coast. She has a B.A. from UNLV and worked in Vegas for four years while studying. Originally born in Killeen, Texas, Shannon grew up in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Shannon is married to Jamie McRandle, and has three children.