Shannon Royce is president & C.E.O. of ChosenFamilies.org, a ministry for families living with hidden disabilities. As the Mom of a child with a hidden disability she understands the challenges families face. Living with Autism spectrum disorders, mental health challenges, or neurological concerns with no outside evidence can be difficult. There is no obvious flag to alert people there might be a need for understanding or accommodation.
Prior to founding the ministry, Shannon served in various pro-family organizations as a public policy advocate. Among her experiences were the privilege to serve as the founding Executive Director of the Arlington Group, a pro-family coalition, and as Director of Public Policy and Legislative Counsel for the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. Prior to her work with the Southern Baptist Convention she served two Senators as a policy advisor and Legal Counsel. She earned her Juris Doctorate from the George Washington University School of Law and is licensed to practice (currently Associate status) in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Shannon and Bill have two teenage sons and live in Falls Church, Virginia. She has been actively involved as an advocate for children with special needs, has served on her local Special Education Advisory Committee for over 11 years, and as Chairman for 6 years. She is a lymphoma survivor and a marathon runner who sees the journey of parenting a child with special needs as the greatest marathon journey of her lifetime.
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