Shawn Morton
Stevensville
Summary
Experienced executive skilled at effectively communicating and navigating highly politicized environments to drive organizational initiatives. Collaborative with elected officials and high-ranking business leaders, leveraging strong relationships to achieve shared objectives. Demonstrated ability to lead and manage teams, fostering a collaborative environment focused on common goals.
Overview
2025
2025
years of professional experience
Work History
Deputy Director, Congressional Affairs
National Archives and Records Administration
04.2010 - 02.2025
- As Deputy Director, I worked with the Director in managing all aspects of the Archives’ relations with Congress
- I served as a liaison with several Congressional committees that oversee the Archives’ budget and operations and served as the primary contact with Committees that oversee FOIA and information classification/declassification issues
- I conducted meetings and briefings for Members of the House and Senate and for high-ranking Congressional and other government staff
- I drafted and edited Congressional testimony for the Archivist of the United States and other agency officials and coordinated the clearance process through the Office of Management and Budget, and then prepped agency officials for their hearing appearances
- Among my accomplishments in this position, I served as Acting Director for an extended period; secured the final year of funding for a large multi-year technology program that was under much Congressional scrutiny by putting together a fresh team and setting up a new round of Congressional briefings to better explain our progress; consistently secured funding for a grants program that has continually been on the budget chopping block; gained funding to provide additional archival storage space for legislative records; chaired a working group to rethink the Archives’ visitor experience and developed a new process to coordinate tours of the National Archives Building
Special Assistant to the Chief Operating Officer
Library of Congress
05.2004 - 04.2010
- I was appointed Acting Chief of Staff of the Library of Congress for several months while the incumbent was on extended leave
- I served on the Executive Committee with Library management to develop the Library’s budget request and policy initiatives
- I managed the Librarian’s staff offices: Congressional Relations, Public Affairs, Development, General Council, and Special Events
- I had policy, budget, and personnel authority over these offices, as well as contract approval and hiring authority for the entire Library
- I managed 5 national profile Library events, including the award of the first million dollar Kluge Prize, a reception for the Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and the National Book Festival
- After this successful appointment ended, I was hired as the Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff [later changed to Chief Operating Officer (COO)]
- I executed multiple policy and administrative functions for the Librarian and the COO
- I regularly served as Acting COO, and I assisted the Librarian and COO in managing senior staff of the Library
- Among my duties and accomplishments in this position were: coordinated the Librarian's role in events for high-level donors and Congress; directly managed the Librarian's office staff of administrative support, IT specialists, designers, and special assistants; managed the Librarian's correspondence unit; accompanied the Librarian to meetings with Members and high-ranking staff; assisted in the development and final editing of Congressional hearing testimony for the Librarian, and coordinated follow up communications with the committees; provided final approval for all letters and regulations for the Librarian's signature; served as the fund manager for several large gift funds; served as the project manager for a $16 million project to rehabilitate an empty former school building on Capitol Hill for use as a residential center for visiting scholars; served as the Project manager for the Library’s $22 million New Visitor Experience, and forged a large team of employees and contractors from all parts of the Library to create exhibits that utilized groundbreaking technologies that allowed visitors to interact with the Library's collections in new ways.
Senior Congressional Relations Specialist
Library of Congress
- In this position, I served as a liaison between the Library and Members of Congress and staff
- I served as Acting Director of Congressional Relations on multiple occasions, managed many large Congressional events and meetings, handled multiple Congressional requests per day for information, and advised Library management on legislative issues
- I drafted letters to Members from the Librarian
- Among my accomplishments in this position were: managed the Librarian’s testimony in Congressional hearings; secured Congressional approval for the Library's perimeter security plan; initiated and managed a campaign to secure Congressional funding for a tunnel connecting the Library to the new Capitol Visitor Center; worked with Library officials, congressional staff and Members to gain support for legislation to finalize the merger between the US Capitol Police and the Library of Congress Police; served as the primary contact for communicating the Library’s plans to construct a new facility to its vast audio-visual collections in Culpeper, Virginia; and managed a project for the Library to provide emergency assets to the House of Representatives in the event of an evacuation of the Capitol
Policy Specialist
National Archives and Records Administration
- I reviewed and updated National Archives regulations in the Code of Federal Regulations and ensured that any revisions complied with statutory changes and Presidential Executive Orders
- I drafted new regulatory language and cleared it with all applicable offices and management
- I published proposed regulations in the Federal Register for public comment
- I received and reconciled all comments and then published the final rule
- I also managed the Federal Activities Inventory Reform Act (FAIR Act) inventory program, and the Archives’ A76 program, which required an examination of all agency activities for commercial application
- I worked with management and employee union officials and participated in union negotiations on the FAIR Act implementation
Congressional Relations Specialist
National Archives and Records Administration
- As half of a Congressional relations operation, I was responsible for every aspect of liaison work between the National Archives and Congressional offices
- I tracked legislation and Congressional hearings and markups, handled constituent casework, drafted testimony for agency officials, and worked with committees in the development of legislative language that impacted the Archives
Management Analyst
National Archives and Records Administration
- In this position, I had three main areas of responsibility: analyzing and improving agency work processes; tracking legislation; and analyzing and interpreting government procurement policy
- I was involved in several studies of office operations which improved work processes
Education
Bachelor of Arts - History, English
University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, AlabamaHigh school or equivalent -
John Marshall High School
Glen Dale, West VirginiaSkills
- Experienced communicator specializing in tailoring information to audiences of all levels
- Skilled navigator of highly politicized environments
- Effective in maintaining networks of essential contacts
- Comfortable with communicating directly to elected officials, donors, and government officials of all levels
Timeline
Deputy Director, Congressional Affairs
National Archives and Records Administration
04.2010 - 02.2025
Special Assistant to the Chief Operating Officer
Library of Congress
05.2004 - 04.2010
Senior Congressional Relations Specialist
Library of Congress
Policy Specialist
National Archives and Records Administration
Congressional Relations Specialist
National Archives and Records Administration
Management Analyst
National Archives and Records Administration
Bachelor of Arts - History, English
University of Alabama
High school or equivalent -
John Marshall High School
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