Special Olympics CEO and leadership

Her leadership focuses on addressing inactivity, injustice, intolerance and social isolation by encouraging and empowering people with intellectual disabilities to be productive citizens in their communities, which leads to a more welcoming and inclusive society for all.

Davis started with Special Olympics soon after college as a local program volunteer and coach. Since then she has served in a series of leadership roles, helping create our first-ever Regional games, the 1985 Special Olympics European Games, working to build a powerful national Program as CEO of Special Olympics Ireland, and helping globalize the movement as CEO of the first Special Olympics World Summer Games held outside the US, which were the 2003 Games in Ireland. For eight years she served as President & Managing Director of Europe Eurasia.

Davis is married to Julian Davis and has four children: Jonathan, Rebecca, Emma and Patrick.

Shawn Ferguson is a Senior Vice President, Government Relations & Chief of Staff, Chairman’s Office at Special Olympics and is based in Washington DC-Baltimore Area. He has worked as Senior Advisor to the Senator at U.S. Senator Kent Conrad, Federal Government Affairs at Duane Morris Government Strategies, and Senior Assistant at Washington Football Team. Shawn studied at University of North Dakota between 1994 and 1999 and Graduate School USA between 2011 and 2011.

Alicia Bazzano is a Chief Health Officer at Special Olympics.

Shawn Ferguson is a Senior Vice President, Government Relations & Chief of Staff, Chairman’s Office at Special Olympics and is based in Washington DC-Baltimore Area. He has worked as Senior Advisor to the Senator at U.S. Senator Kent Conrad, Federal Government Affairs at Duane Morris Government Strategies, and Senior Assistant at Washington Football Team. Shawn studied at University of North Dakota between 1994 and 1999 and Graduate School USA between 2011 and 2011.

Claiborne is truly an amazing woman who has not only touched the lives of hundreds of thousands, but has changed the lives of all whom she's met. She is a woman of faith who shares her personal story to promote hope and tolerance for all people around the world. In 2000, Walt Disney Productions created "The Loretta Claiborne Story" about her inspiring life.

Claiborne is a world-class runner and gifted motivational speaker who happens to also be a Special Olympics Athlete and a person who has an intellectual disability. She has received two honorary doctorate degrees (Quinnipiac University in 1995 and Villanova University in 2003); completed 26 marathons (she finished in the top 100 women of the Boston Marathon with her best time 3:03); received the 1996 ESPY Award-Arthur Ashe Award for Courage; has a 4th degree black belt in karate; is an inductee into the Women in Sports Hall of Fame and into the Special Olympics Pennsylvania Hall of Fame.

She is an accomplished public speaker, who introduced President Clinton at the 1995 Special Olympics World Summer Games and appeared twice on the Oprah Show, communicates in 4 languages, and is fluent in American Sign Language.