Shawn O’Hara has over 30 years experience in implementing fundraising strategies, programs and training of personnel in all fields related to management of a non-profit organization, board governance and fundraising. 

As an Independent Consultant and Senior Consultant with Brakeley, her current role includes working with International NGO clients and Universities including WWF-Netherlands, The Verbier Festival, Switzerland, Make a Wish International, NTU, Singapore, KAUST, Jeddah Saudi Arabia, and UMPC in Paris.  With her relocation to Europe, she has a broad wealth of experience in Europe, North American, the Middle East, Asia, and Japan. 

Prior to moving to Paris, Shawn was the Singapore Resident Senior Consultant for Brakeley Fundraising and Management Consultants.  Her clients include the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Center, the Social Services Training Institute, the Center for Creative Leadership, the International Rice Research Institute, WWF Hong Kong, Nanyang Technological University and several Independent Schools.

Prior to living in Singapore, Shawn lived in Tokyo, Japan, where she was the Managing Director for Brakeley Japan. She also taught in the NGO Certificate Program and in the Project Management Course for pre-MBA students at Temple University Japan.   Additionally, she chaired The Run for The Cure’s first “Calendar Girls” Calendar, became a certified sommelier, and wrote for the Tokyo Weekender Magazine.

In the US, Shawn was the President of the Junior Achievement of the Bay Area where she served as the Chief Executive Officer responsible for all planning, finance, fund raising, program implementation, public relations and administrative operations for an organization with 100,000 students, a $3 million budget and 24 staff members. She also served as the Vice-President of Development and the National Director of Development for the Junior Achievement Inc. over her 25 year career with the organization.   

She has worked as a freelance consultant and trainer providing effective management strategies in fund-raising, market planning, grant writing, board development and corporate/foundation research and training. Her clients included: All Souls Alumni Association; Pikes Peak Area Trails Coalition; St. Scholastica Academy and Make-A-Wish Foundation of America.  

Shawn holds an MBA from the University of San Francisco with an emphasis in Human Resource and Organizational Development. She also earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of Utah in Therapeutic and Industrial Recreation. She has taken various leadership courses and seminars from highly regarded organizations including Dale Carnegie, Kellogg School of Business, Northwestern University and the National Planned Giving Institute.  She is also a certified WebEx University instructor.

Shawn is an active member of American Women’s Club of Paris, WIC, AAWE, and The American Church of Paris Women’s Club, the Tabitha Foundation, and the Elephant Sanctuary in Thailand. Her professional affiliations include: The National Society of Fundraising Executives, The Certified Fundraising Executives (CFRE), and CASE.