Returning after a 12-year hiatus, Shawn brings a myriad of critical training skillsets in gas and oil industry Emergency Environmental Response and Incident Command Systems to EMSI’s staff as the Director of Private Sector Operations. Retiring from the U.S. Coast Guard after 21 years, he joined EMSI the first time where he developed training programs for clients on the North Slope of Alaska and in Brazil, while also supporting the National Capital Region’s Incident Management Team in the greater Washington, D.C., area.

Working in the oil and gas industry, Shawn served as a Principal for Emergency Management Systems for a Fortune 20 ranked company’s global team. In this capacity, he led the development and implementation of emergency management systems, ensuring compliance with global safety standards, while coordinating with cross-functional teams to enhance emergency response protocols and procedures. During this period, he was called upon to serve as the Incident Commander for a Chemical Incident in 2023. Additionally, he and his staff provided critical training and support on emergency preparedness and response, including in-depth risk & readiness assessments and after-action reviews.

Before becoming Principal, Shawn served as the Emergency Response Manager for Deepwater Gulf Operations where he oversaw the Incident Command for all preparedness, response, and recovery efforts for all natural disasters and hurricanes for the company’s offshore assets. He served as Incident Commander for several industry emergency and petrochemical responses, both offshore and landslide. Indicative of his expertise, he also served as a board member for Clean Gulf Associates for 12 years and as Chairman for nine years.

Shawn is well versed in oil spill response, on land and sea, through countless incidents that occurred during his time on the Coast Guard’s prestigious National Strike Teams. During this period, he served as an Operations Section Chief during the US Capitol Anthrax incident and the EPA’s response to 9/11, as a Planning Section Chief during Hurricanes KATRINA and RITA, and responded to a multitude of incidents and exercises, while on the National Response Force Pacific Strike Team.

During his service, Shawn developed a comprehensive rewrite of the US Coast Guard exercise and evaluation guidance and corresponding Exercise Program in response to the aftermath of the 9/11 incident. In addition to updating this program, he played a key role in the development of the initial Department of Homeland Security Exercise Program (HSEEP) that has become the standard for industry and government. He was subsequently certified as a FEMA Master Exercise Practitioner (MEP) for HSEEP.

As an ICS instructor and “All Hazards Responder” for the U.S. Coast Guard, Shawn was critical to the development, deployment, and evaluation of National Strike Force’s Pacific Strike Team and its supported units, to include serving as a coach and evaluator on multiple National Preparedness for Response Exercise Program (NPREP) evaluations in major metropolises. In addition, he has completed extensive training in hazardous materials incident response and oversaw responses to numerous oil and hazardous materials incidents throughout his career.

Shawn is a certified Type 2 Incident Commander, Type 1 Operations Section Chief, and Type 1 Planning Section Chief. In addition, he holds qualifications as a HAZMAT Incident Commander, HAZMAT Specialist, HAZWOPER Trainer, and HAZMAT Technician (Levels A, B, C, & D) and is a certified NIMS ICS instructor and Train the Trainer qualified.