Bio
Shawn V. Morehead is a philanthropic leader and legal advocate with over two decades of experience advancing equity in education, civil rights, and social justice. She oversees The Trust’s competitive grantmaking program, which distributes approximately $60 million dollars each year.
Shawn previously served as The Trust’s vice president for grants and as a Trust program director, where she spearheaded transformative programs such as securing $35 million to improve reading instruction in New York City public schools and launching multimillion-dollar initiatives to support immigrant communities.
Before entering philanthropy, Shawn built a legal career focused on civil rights and education reform. As litigation director at Advocates for Children of New York, she led federal class-action cases to protect the rights of students with disabilities and those facing disciplinary proceedings, negotiating settlements that improved educational services and accountability.
A committed community leader, Shawn has served on numerous boards and advisory councils, including Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees and the Rivendell School. She currently serves on the board of the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City and Grantmakers for Education.