Shawn Cruz is a Senior Consultant at Counsel Public Affairs, based in Toronto.

A seasoned consultant, Shawn helps clients refine and achieve their government relations objectives across the energy, health care, and the non-profit sectors.

Shawn worked in the Ontario Ministry of Energy in an issues management role; briefing the Minister’s Office staff, completing media scans to anticipate issues, and working closely with policy staff to ensure that the public-facing communications accurately reflected the complexities of the sector.

He previously led the government relations efforts at his undergraduate student association, engaging with elected officials and staff at all levels of government on behalf of the university’s 18,000 undergraduates. Shawn acted as a spokesperson for the organization in interviews with media outlets including the CBC and the Toronto Star.

Shawn interned in a Member of Parliament’s constituency office and is currently an executive member of a provincial riding association and a board member of Eden Food for Change (formerly Eden Food Bank). He credits these experiences for his appreciation of community engagement and the importance of working with people at the grassroots level.

At Counsel, Shawn provides his strategic planning expertise and organized client management skills to a wide range of clients. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Wilfrid Laurier University and a graduate certificate in Government Relations from Seneca Polytechnic.