Speaking

A trusted, on-the-record voice on the issues shaping national security and humanitarian policy.

Shawn VanDiver speaks regularly to Congress, national media, and audiences across government, business, and civil society, drawing on two decades of experience from the fleet to the coalition table.

Topics

Where Shawn adds the most value


Afghan Resettlement & Refugee Policy

The state of the U.S. refugee and Special Immigrant Visa pipeline, the promises made to wartime allies, and what accountability looks like across administrations.

Advocacy & Coalition Building

How a coalition of 250+ organizations was built and sustained, and what it takes to turn volunteer urgency into durable, government-facing institutions.

National Security & Civic Leadership

Bridging military service, government, and the private sector; building public trust; and leading civic institutions like the San Diego Convention Center.

Civic Engagement

Why showing up matters: turning frustration into organized, sustained participation in local and national civic life.

Executive Strategy Advising

Positioning, government relations, and high-stakes decision-making for executives and organizations, drawn from two decades moving between the fleet, the campaign trail, and the boardroom.

Media & Communications Engagement & Training

On-camera and media engagement training for executives, mid-career professionals, and attorneys, built on hundreds of live national television appearances and a faculty background teaching national security and homeland security.

Shawn VanDiver speaking on a panel at the Military Reporters and Editors annual conference
Shawn VanDiver on a panel at the annual Military Reporters and Editors conference.

Track Record

Selected media & congressional appearances


Television & Radio

  • CNN — The Lead with Jake Tapper, Anderson Cooper 360, Laura Coates Live
  • PBS NewsHour
  • NPR Morning Edition
  • MSNBC / MS NOW
  • Scripps News
  • C-SPAN
  • BBC News
  • ABC News
  • CBC News
  • Der Spiegel
  • DW (Deutsche Welle)
  • Al Jazeera

Capitol Hill & Government

  • Featured speaker, White House Indian Treaty Room, at a presidential recognition of Operation Allies Welcome volunteers and government officials, alongside senior Cabinet officials and the National Security Council’s senior leadership team (2023)
  • Speaker, Memorandum of Understanding signing and celebration of AfghanEvac volunteers and government leaders, U.S. Department of State (Harry S. Truman Building), with Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Richard Verma (June 2023)
  • Panelist, U.S. House Committee on House Administration hearing on congressional casework in the Afghanistan withdrawal (2024)
  • Recurring congressional briefings and Hill Day delegations on Afghan resettlement and SIV reform

Full television, radio, and publication history available on request. See Press for selected coverage.

Formats

How to book Shawn


Keynotes & Panels

Conferences, veterans and national security convenings, and civic leadership forums.

Media & Commentary

Live and taped interviews on breaking developments in Afghan resettlement and refugee policy.

Briefings & Testimony

Congressional and agency briefings, background sessions for reporters, and closed-door policy discussions.

Start a Booking Request