Shawn Smith

As Senior Vice President of Culture & Strategy at Denver International Airport (DEN), Shawn Smith leads transformative work in business learning, federal small business program compliance, strategic planning, continuous improvement, employee wellness, engagement, ADA/Title VI compliance, and Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (EDIA). Since joining DEN in November 2019, he has been instrumental in developing the Vision 100 Strategic Plan and building a strong performance management framework to help the airport achieve its goal of serving 100 million annual passengers. Mr. Smith has championed innovative EDIA initiatives and guided his team in launching the Business Development Training Academy, a nationally recognized program that equips small businesses to pursue DEN contracting opportunities, raising the bar for industry collaboration and inclusion.

Previously, Mr. Smith held leadership roles at Denver’s Department of Public Safety, served as a Submarine Supply Officer in the U.S. Navy, and worked in renewable energy at the Department of Energy. He holds a B.S. in Accounting and Computer Information Systems from Colorado State University, an MBA from Regis University, and is an alumnus of the Senior Executives in State and Local Government program at Harvard University.