Welcome Shawn Lewinson!
Shawn Lewinson joined Aspire’s executive team as the Chief People & Culture Officer in June.
Lewinson is a graduate of the University of Hartford, where he earned his BS and MBA. Lewinson has spent 20 years in human resources after a career start in finance, He has held several leadership positions in healthcare organizations, with most of his experience in nonprofits and governmental agencies. Most recently, Lewinson worked at an organization that serves people with severe mental illness, with services that include both residential and outpatient care.
What drew Lewinson to Aspire was the mission. “I have family members and friends who have children and loved ones who are autistic and have other developmental disabilities.” He also has a niece who’s preparing to become a behavior analyst, and they’ve had many conversations about what she does. So, he’s familiar with the impact of the services we provide.
Lewinson reports he’s received a warm welcome as he’s traveled around the states. “There’s a family environment that is there with the folks I’ve met so far. People relate to the mission, and we can build upon that…Folks are excited about having someone in the organization who’s going to focus on culture.”
As a fair-minded, hardworking leader, Lewinson is excited to build on Aspire’s strengths. He points out “having a great workplace culture is important because it makes us unique, defines who we are, and makes us the employer of choice. Having this culture results in more engaged, loyal and productive employees. It creates a more diverse and inclusive workforce and attracts great talent.”
One of his priorities is to understand and improve employee experience, especially for candidates and new hires. “It’s important for candidates to have a great experience… It allows them to get insight into who we are as an organization, what we do, and what we are passionate about.”
In his free time, Lewinson is a huge sports fan and follows UConn basketball, soccer, and track and field. He lives in Connecticut.