Paul Shoemaker has been SVP Seattle's executive connector for 17 years. Anyone who's met him knows why. If you're out to change the world, he's there to connect you to the people and organizations on that same journey.

Paul is committed to working in the community, serving on the boards of several organizations. He is the founding president of Social Venture Partners International and currently sits on its board of directors, as well as the board of Partners for Our Children. Past work includes a term as board treasurer of Grantmakers for Effective Organizations (2001–2007), as well as board service for the Microsoft Alumni Foundation (2008–2013), Children's Alliance in Seattle (1996–2000), and Treepeople in Los Angeles (1987–1990).

In 2011 and 2012, Paul was named one of the Top 50 Most Influential People in the Non-Profit Sector by The NonProfit Times. In 2013, he received the Red Winged Leadership Award from Seattle University's Albers School of Business and Economics and the Philanthropist of the Year Award from Future in Review. In 2014, he was named a Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Fellow. He has appeared in numerous media including NBC, CBS, Fortune magazine, Bloomberg News, and many others. He has spoken at the 2013 Social Good Summit, 2012 TEDxRainier, 2015 TEDxFargo and dozens of other social sector conferences over the years.

Before coming to SVP Seattle in 1998, Paul was group manager for worldwide operations at Microsoft Corporation and developed a group of 22 direct marketing professionals and implemented a direct marketing infrastructure. Prior to his work at Microsoft, Paul was a product manager at Nestlé USA in Glendale, California. Paul holds an MBA in marketing and finance from the University of Texas and a BBA in accounting from Iowa State University. Paul enjoys life with his wife and three sons, and is an avid sports fan, especially of his own kids' teams, as well as the Seattle Seahawks (why didn't they just hand the ball to Marshawn on the one-yard line?!), and pursues his hobby as a high school basketball referee.