Meet Shawn
sustainable development leader. executive. strategist. policy expert. lawyer.
A leader who galvanizes interdisciplinary teams to transform strategic vision into durable results, Shawn LaTourette empowers people and organizations to solve complex problems, maximize return on investment, and multiply positive outcomes for customers, constituents, and communities. A skilled C-suite executive and a trusted attorney-advisor to government, Fortune 500, and NGO leaders, Shawn has been regarded for his expertise in sustainable development, EHS (environmental, health, and safety), water resource management, public infrastructure, energy and industrial policy, natural capital, hazard mitigation, and climate change mitigation and resilience.
As Environment Commissioner for the State of New Jersey, Shawn served as CEO of the influential NJ Department of Environmental Protection, where he led 36+ cross-functional expert teams to serve the needs of 9.5M+ residents and 120M+ annual visitors, directing a workforce of 3,400 and annual budget of $1.2B to deliver statewide environmental quality assurance, infrastructure development, and natural resource management programs, projects, and facilities.
During his tenure as Commissioner, Shawn architected a historic $6.7B+ investment in critical infrastructure projects, led an comprehensive enforcement strategy that recovered $3B+ for pollution abatement and natural capital investment, and championed nation-leading legal and regulatory reforms to improve public health and safety by reducing toxic exposures, modernizing flood safety standards, and advancing environmental justice at the community level.
Throughout his legal career, Shawn has counseled organizations large and small on legal and regulatory compliance, redevelopment, industrial and infrastructure siting, commercial transactions, and internal affairs. Well-tested in the courtroom, Shawn has litigated high-stakes environmental, health and safety, products liability, and consumer fraud lawsuits to trial with historic results.
A servant leader whose executive instincts were shaped by diverse experiences from the grassroots to the c-suite, Shawn is committed to community service and lifting the next generation of leaders, serving on multiple Boards and as an adjunct law professor at Rutgers Law School, where he designed and instructs courses on Environmental Justice and Climate Change Law & Policy.
