Shawn was born in Arizona, leaving her home state as a child to live in New Jersey for several years before returning to attend Arizona State University. Throughout her undergraduate studies she worked with developmentally disabled adults and children. She received a bachelor’s degree in Social Work, graduating cum laude. She immediately started working with an Arizona non-profit organization assisting individuals with disabilities obtain desperately needed State and Federal benefits. This was the beginning of a two-decades’ long career advocating for those whose lives have been affected by the inability to work due to devastating illness.

Shawn received her Juris Doctor from Phoenix School of Law where she was invited to join the Law Review as an editor and contributing writer. During law school, she continued to work full-time and raise her daughter. Upon graduating, she started her own law firm and continued assisting the disabled community for the next ten years. Shawn had the opportunity to work with an estate planning law firm during this time and a new passion was sparked – providing families guidance through the often-tedious probate process.