Shawn Hart, President of The Ambassadors Forum in Portland, Oregon, is a gifted apologist with a heart for sharing the gospel. His passion for answering big questions about faith has led him to speak at 22 universities around the world, including UC Berkeley, Oxford, and the University of Virginia. His calling has taken him to minister in 21 countries, including South Sudan, India, Mongolia, and Kazakhstan. Following God’s call, as an overseas missionary for nearly four years, Shawn and his wife lived among unreached people groups in South Sudan’s remote mountains and a Muslim community on a coastal African island.
Since his early volunteer work with Young Life after becoming a follower of Jesus in 2003, Shawn has followed God’s lead into various ministries. Shawn served as an itinerant speaker with RZIM, helped establish the Zacharias Institute, pioneered university “mission weeks” in North America that reached campuses like UC Berkeley and the University of Florida, and co-hosted the Cover to Cover Podcast, engaging listeners with thoughtful discussions on faith. Most recently, as Global Missions Pastor at Bay Area Community Church in Annapolis, Maryland, Shawn oversaw a vibrant global missions program, developing partnerships across continents, mobilizing hundreds for short-term mission teams, and leading the annual Souls World Missions Conference to inspire and equip believers to share the gospel worldwide. With humility, he credits God’s guidance for every step, even in challenging settings like trains, pubs, and juvenile detention centers where he’s proclaimed the gospel.
Shawn holds a Master’s in Ministry and Leadership from Western Seminary and studied theology at Oxford. He lives in Portland with his wife, three children, dog, and cat, enjoying soccer, fitness, and family time.