Shawn works to protect water quality, improve habitat, and increase flood resilience in the Lake Champlain Basin via her role as Coordinator of the Watershed Forestry Partnership, a collaborative watershed non-profit organizations, conservation districts, tree nurseries, and federal & state agencies engaged in riparian forest restoration and management. Her work includes organizing an annual Partnership meeting, providing technical assistance and training opportunities to partners, supporting local native tree nurseries, researching best restoration practices, and education & outreach to landowners. Shawn earned her PhD in botany, studying plant evolutionary genetics. Before joining Lake Champlain Sea Grant in 2023, she was the project manager and restoration biologist for the Friends of the Winooski River, where she developed and managed a variety of projects, including riparian and upland plantings, stormwater management, stream assessments, identification of pollutant discharge from stormwater drainage systems, and community education & outreach. She has also been an active educator, teaching biology, genetics, natural history, and environmental science to diverse audiences from kindergartners to graduate students and community organizations. In her spare time, Shawn enjoys exploring the woods, paddling lakes and rivers, puttering in her garden, pretending to play the violin, learning new stuff, and spending time with her family.