Shawn Escoffery is the Executive Director of the Roy and Patricia Disney Family Foundation. RPDFF invests in innovative solutions and community leaders to build a more just, equitable, and sustainable world in which all people thrive. Shawn manages a small staff, a $6 million annual grantmaking budget, and a $150 million endowment. Prior to joining RPDFF Escoffery directed the Strong Local Economics program at the Surdna Foundation – a family foundation with over $1 billion dollars in assets. In this role, Shawn worked to support the development of robust and sustainable economies that include a wide range of businesses, equitable economic policy, and access to quality jobs. As an urban planner with over 15+ years of experience, Shawn has been responsible for designing workforce development programs serving lower-income communities, developing financing strategies for affordable housing developments and coordinating resident engagement efforts. Shawn holds a BA in Political Science and English Literature from Rutgers University and a Master’s of City and Regional Planning from the MIT. He also holds certificates in Communications and International Relations, Urban Redevelopment and Effective Leadership from Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Duke University, respectively.