Shawn Finnie is Executive Vice President, Member Relations and Awards at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He leads engagement and outreach initiatives for the organization’s global membership of more than 10,000 artists, filmmakers and executives as well as overseeing Academy Awards processes for submissions, rules and voting. Most recently, he held the position of Senior Director, Member Relations and Awards. In this role, he was responsible for member outreach and engagement, industry relations and amplifying the Academy’s initiatives in representation and inclusion. He oversaw branch committees and membership initiatives for Actors, Casting Directors, Marketing and Public Relations, Artists’ Representatives and Associates. He played a key role in such events as the Governors Awards and the Academy Women’s Luncheon and led efforts to deliver a personal and seamless experience for each Oscar nominee. Last summer, as part of the Academy Aperture 2025 initiative, he created the Shorty-nominated conversation series “Academy Dialogues: It Starts with us” . Focused on race, ethnicity, gender, history, opportunity, and the art of filmmaking, these discussions featured high-profile figures such as Bryan Stevenson, Whoopi Goldberg, Lee Daniels, Lulu Wang, Eva Longoria, Delroy Lindo, Anita Hill, Geena Davis, and Ava DuVernay. As a speaker and musician, he has collaborated with multiple organizations, companies, communities, TV outlets, and leaders to share personal experiences and initiate action-oriented conversations surrounding mental health, personal journey, and dealing with adversity. He is committed to ensuring that solid representation of diverse voices and backgrounds are included,engaged, and activated.Top 5 Inspirations:The Four Agreements (book)The Alchemist (book)Florence, ItalyShawn Carter (business inspo)His family x His community