Shawn Turner, of East Lansing, has been appointed to the Michigan Veterans' Facility Authority Board of Directors, the ten-member board that governs Michigan Veteran Homes.
Turner is the general manager of WKAR Public Media and a professor of strategic communication at Michigan State University. He was selected by the majority leader of the senate and appointed by Gov. Whitmer, with the advice and consent of the senate.
Turner previously served in several federal government positions including Deputy White House Press Secretary for National Security, Director of Communication for U.S. National Intelligence, and Deputy Press Secretary for Foreign Affairs for the National Security Council.
He is currently a member of the board of directors for National Public Radio (NPR), the board of trustees for the German Marshall fund (GMF), and the executive board of advisors for Center for Ethics and the Rule of Law (CERL) at the University of Pennsylvania.
In 2015, Shawn was awarded the Intelligence Community Leadership Award, and in 2016, he was awarded the Meritorious Presidential Rank Award for outstanding career accomplishments and exemplary service to the nation.
Prior to his civilian career, Shawn served 21 years in the United States Marine Corps. He received his B.A. degree in communication studies from Texas State University and an M.A. degree in communication from George Mason University.