diff --git a/backend/typescript/rest/serviceRequestRoutes.ts b/backend/typescript/rest/serviceRequestRoutes.ts
index 20a5278..293b440 100644
--- a/backend/typescript/rest/serviceRequestRoutes.ts
+++ b/backend/typescript/rest/serviceRequestRoutes.ts
@@ -160,4 +160,26 @@ serviceRequestRouter.delete("/delete/:id", isAuthorizedByRole(new Set(["ADMIN",
   }
 });
 
+/* Get user by email - this is for displaying first/last name for email invitation*/
+serviceRequestRouter.get("/user-by-email", isAuthorizedByRole(new Set(["ADMIN", "VOLUNTEER"])), async (req, res) => {
+  const { email } = req.query;
+
+  if (!email || typeof email !== "string") {
+    return res.status(400).json({ error: "A valid email query parameter is required." });
+  }
+
+  try {
+    const user = await userService.getUserByEmail(email.trim());
+    if (user) {
+      res.status(200).json({ firstName: user.firstName, lastName: user.lastName });
+    } else {
+      res.status(404).json({ message: "User not found" });
+    }
+  } catch (error: unknown) {
+    res.status(404).json({ error: getErrorMessage(error) });
+  }
+});
+
+
+
 export default serviceRequestRouter;
diff --git a/backend/typescript/services/implementations/userService.ts b/backend/typescript/services/implementations/userService.ts
index 8e0523c..1190132 100644
--- a/backend/typescript/services/implementations/userService.ts
+++ b/backend/typescript/services/implementations/userService.ts
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ class UserService implements IUserService {
         throw new Error(`userId with authId ${firebaseUser.uid} not found.`);
       }
     } catch (error: unknown) {
+      console.log("CATCH ERROR")
       Logger.error(`Failed to get user. Reason = ${getErrorMessage(error)}`);
       throw error;
     }
diff --git a/frontend/src/APIClients/ServiceRequestAPIClient.ts b/frontend/src/APIClients/ServiceRequestAPIClient.ts
index 7a29179..320863a 100644
--- a/frontend/src/APIClients/ServiceRequestAPIClient.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/APIClients/ServiceRequestAPIClient.ts
@@ -77,4 +77,26 @@ const post = async ({
   }
 };
 
-export default { get, getPlatformSignups, post };
\ No newline at end of file
+const getUserByEmail = async (email: string): Promise<{ firstName: string; lastName: string } | null> => {
+  const bearerToken = `Bearer ${getLocalStorageObjProperty(
+    AUTHENTICATED_USER_KEY,
+    "accessToken",
+  )}`;
+  try {
+    console.log(`/user-by-email?email=${encodeURIComponent(email)}`)
+    const { data } = await baseAPIClient.get(`/serviceRequests/user-by-email?email=${encodeURIComponent(String(email))}`, {
+      headers: { Authorization: bearerToken },
+    });
+    return data; // { firstName: string; lastName: string }
+  } catch (error: any) {
+    if (error.response?.status === 404) {
+      console.warn("User not found for email:", email);
+      return null;
+    }
+    // console.error("Error fetching user by email:", error);
+    throw error;
+  }
+};
+
+
+export default { get, getPlatformSignups, post, getUserByEmail };
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/common/NavBarVolunteer.tsx b/frontend/src/components/common/NavBarVolunteer.tsx
index 1bef582..64af0ed 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/common/NavBarVolunteer.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/common/NavBarVolunteer.tsx
@@ -102,9 +102,6 @@ const NavBarVolunteer: React.FC<NavBarVolunteerProps> = ({firstName, lastName, r
           Contact Us
         </Flex>
       </ChakraLink>
-      {/* <button type="button" className="btn btn-primary" onClick={() => showToast("test@example.com")}>
-        Test Toast
-      </button> */}
       <Spacer />
        {/*  TODO: add logic behind notification button */}
       <ChakraLink
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/pages/CreateShift/CreateShiftMain.tsx b/frontend/src/components/pages/CreateShift/CreateShiftMain.tsx
index 039ac0a..66b649b 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/pages/CreateShift/CreateShiftMain.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/pages/CreateShift/CreateShiftMain.tsx
@@ -3,9 +3,10 @@ import moment from "moment";
 
 import { Button, ModalBody, ModalFooter, Box, FormControl, FormLabel, Input, Flex, Select, NumberDecrementStepper, NumberIncrementStepper, NumberInput, NumberInputField, NumberInputStepper, InputRightElement, InputGroup, FormHelperText, Tag, TagLabel, TagCloseButton, Wrap, WrapItem, useToast} from "@chakra-ui/react";
 import { CreateShiftFormStepComponentType, CreateShiftFormStepProps, Frequency, ServiceRequestType } from '../../../types/ServiceRequestTypes';
-import { titleCase } from '../../../utils/FormatUtils';
+import { capitalizeName, titleCase } from '../../../utils/FormatUtils';
 import EARLIEST_SHIFT_TIME from '../../../constants/ServiceRequestConstants';
 import { validateEmail } from '../../../utils/ValidationUtils'
+import ServiceRequestAPIClient from "../../../APIClients/ServiceRequestAPIClient";
 
 const CreateShiftMain: CreateShiftFormStepComponentType = ({ onSubmit, updateFields, updateErrorFields, data, errors }: CreateShiftFormStepProps): React.ReactElement => {
     const { requestName, shiftTime, shiftEndTime, frequency, currentEmail, inviteEmails, requestType } = data;
@@ -87,7 +88,7 @@ const CreateShiftMain: CreateShiftFormStepComponentType = ({ onSubmit, updateFie
         }
     };
 
-    const handleAddEmail = () => {
+    const handleAddEmail = async () => {
         if (currentEmail && currentEmail.trim()) {
             const emailError = validateEmail(currentEmail);
             if (emailError) {
@@ -99,12 +100,34 @@ const CreateShiftMain: CreateShiftFormStepComponentType = ({ onSubmit, updateFie
                     duration: 5000,
                     isClosable: true,
                 });
-                return; // Stop execution if email is invalid
+                return;
             }
-            const updatedEmails = [...(inviteEmails || []), currentEmail.trim()];
-            updateFields({ inviteEmails: updatedEmails, currentEmail: "" });
+    
+            try {
+                const user = await ServiceRequestAPIClient.getUserByEmail(currentEmail.trim());
+    
+                if (user) {
+                    // If user exists in the database, add their full name
+                    const displayName = capitalizeName(`${user.firstName} ${user.lastName}`);
+                    const updatedEmails = [...(inviteEmails || []), displayName];
+                    updateFields({ inviteEmails: updatedEmails, currentEmail: "" });
+                } else {
+                    // If user doesn't exist, add the email as-is (this part doesn't work right now so I put the logic in the catch block)
+                    const updatedEmails = [...(inviteEmails || []), currentEmail.trim()];
+                    updateFields({ inviteEmails: updatedEmails, currentEmail: "" });
+                }
+            } catch (error) {
+                console.error("User not Found:", error);
+                // Add the email if there's an error
+                const updatedEmails = [...(inviteEmails || []), currentEmail.trim()];
+                updateFields({ inviteEmails: updatedEmails, currentEmail: "" });
+            }
+            console.log(inviteEmails);
         }
     };
+    
+      
+    
 
     const handleRemoveEmail = (index: number) => {
         const updatedEmails = (inviteEmails || []).filter((_, i) => i !== index);
diff --git a/frontend/src/utils/FormatUtils.ts b/frontend/src/utils/FormatUtils.ts
index ce7e6dd..b481caa 100644
--- a/frontend/src/utils/FormatUtils.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/utils/FormatUtils.ts
@@ -2,3 +2,12 @@
 export const titleCase = (value: string): string => {
     return value[0].toUpperCase() + value.slice(1).toLowerCase();
 };
+
+
+export const capitalizeName = (name: string) => {
+    if (!name) return '';
+    return name
+      .split(' ')
+      .map(part => part.charAt(0).toUpperCase() + part.slice(1).toLowerCase())
+      .join(' ');
+};
\ No newline at end of file