Shawn Ferguson currently serves as Chief Global Government Relations Officer and is the former Chief of Staff to Chairman Timothy Shriver at Special Olympics International.
In his current role, he serves as the head of Special Olympics’ interaction with governments in the United States and around the world. Since he began leading the Government Relations Department, Ferguson has overseen an increase in U.S. federal funding by nearly $38 million USD to a total of $55.5 million USD per year for education and health initiatives.
From 1999 to 2010, Ferguson served in U.S. Senator Kent Conrad’s (D-ND) office, eventually becoming the Senator’s Senior Advisor. During his time in the Senate, Ferguson was the lead staffer on two pieces of enacted veterans’ legislation, a $25 million USDA transportation research program authorization in the 2008 Farm Bill, and a federal matching share for a $35 million dollar state veterans’ home. Later, Ferguson served in the U.S. House as Legislative Director for Congressman Brian Baird (D-WA). In this role, he served as lead policy analyst and advisor to the Congressman, director of the legislative staff, and representative of the Congressman at legislative strategy meetings with U.S. House Leadership staff. Prior to joining Special Olympics, Ferguson was a personal assistant to Daniel Snyder, owner of the then Washington Redskins NFL Football Club, serving as lead of the Executive Office for part of his time with the team.
Ferguson is a member of the Sons of the American Legion and member of the Special Olympics Washington, D.C. Board of Directors. He formerly served as a member of the Fargo Theatre Board of Directors, a Core Committee Member for the Fargo-Moorhead World War II Honor Flights, and a Hospice volunteer. He graduated from the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, ND, and was raised on a family farm near Park River, ND.
Global Leadership Team
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Timothy Shriver, Ph.D
Chairman of the Board -
Mary Davis
President and Chief Executive Officer -
Jim Barbee
Chief Financial Officer -
Dimitri A Christakis, MD, MPH
Chief Health Officer -
Loretta Claiborne
Chief Inspiration Officer -
Nathan Cook
Chief Information & Technology Officer -
John Dow, Ph.D
Chief, Regional & Program Operations -
Shawn Ferguson
Chief of Global Government Relations -
Brandon M. Fitzgerald
Chief Legal Officer; Secretary, Board of Directors -
Annemarie Hill
Chief of Health Operations -
Jacqueline Jodl, Ph.D
Chief, Global Youth and Education -
Emily Klinger
Chief, Leadership & Organizational Development -
Louis Lauria
Chief of Sport and Competition -
Zehra Sayin
Chief Marketing, Communications & Development Officer
