Shawn McCrohan, a native of Southern California, has over 25 years of experience in park management and environmental education, with a robust background in leadership roles spanning strategic planning, membership recruitment, partnerships, environmental education and interpretation, public engagement, and financial management. Her career and life enrichment have been profoundly informed by the beauty of natural landscapes, which have inspired her dedication to environmental education, conservation, and leadership.

Shawn’s career began with California State Parks at the Antelope Valley Indian Museum, located among the dramatic rock formations of Piute Butte in the Mojave Desert. There, she contributed to the museum’s mission of interpreting and preserving Native American cultures of the Great Basin and surrounding regions.

Before her most recent role with the Southern Nevada Conservancy, Shawn served as Associate Director of the National Audubon Society’s Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary on the western edge of the Everglades in Naples, Florida. This 13,000-acre sanctuary, home to the world’s largest remaining ancient bald cypress forest, provides refuge for species such as the endangered Ghost orchid and Florida panther.

In her role as Manager of Environmental Science for the Somerset County Park Commission in New Jersey, Shawn managed two parks within the Great Swamp region and directed an Environmental Education Center. During this time, she secured significant corporate grants to enhance K-12 STEM environmental education programs, including the development of a new biomimicry program. She also advanced the organization’s environmental stewardship initiatives.

As Executive Director of the Arizona Association for Environmental Education, an affiliate of the North American Association for Environmental Education, Shawn elevated environmental literacy across the region and professionalized the nonprofit’s operations, culminating in the organization’s receipt of the 2018 Outstanding Affiliate Award.

Shawn also held the role of Science Education Coordinator at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, where she managed educational visits for over 90,000 schoolchildren and developed outreach programs for underserved youth.

Shawn studied Parks and Recreation Management at Northern Arizona University and is a certified Wilderness First Responder. Passionate about conserving ancient landscapes and advancing environmental education, she is an avid hiker with a profound appreciation for global park operations, conservation, and management. Her travels have taken her to iconic landscapes across Patagonia, the Himalayas, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania, and the jungles of Borneo and Sumatra.