We are Catholic Education Partners.
We advocate for school choice and access to Catholic education.
Team

Shawn Peterson
President
Shawn M. Peterson is President of Catholic Education Partners, a national Catholic nonprofit whose mission is to serve the Catholic community by advancing policy that empowers families and children to enjoy the benefits of a Catholic education. Before joining the staff at Catholic Education Partners, Shawn served as Associate Director for Public Policy with the Minnesota Catholic Conference. Prior to that he spent two decades working on numerous legislative and policy issues, including parental choice in education. During that time he was president of his own government relations firm and worked in state government serving in the administrations of two governors, and as senior staff in the Minnesota state legislature.
Shawn is a consultant to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee on Education and is an advisory board member of the Institute for the Transformation of Catholic Education at the Catholic University of America. Shawn is also a Third Degree Member of the Knights of Columbus. In addition, he is an American Enterprise Institute Leadership Network member, on the board of the St. Croix Preparatory Academy Foundation, and a member of the Minnesota Department of Education Non-Public Education Council. He previously served two terms on the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Federal Assistance Advisory Commission.
Shawn holds a degree from Hamline University in International Relations and Russian Area Studies, and is a graduate of the Archbishop Harry J. Flynn Catechetical Institute. He resides in Stillwater, Minnesota with his wife and three children, and is a member of the Parish of St. Michael.

David Strom
Communications Manager
David M. Strom is Communications Manager for Catholic Education Partners. Born into a non-religious family, he converted to Catholicism in 2009, after a 2-year preparation with Father James Stromberg. Father Stromberg was retired from teaching philosophy at the University of St Thomas in Saint Paul.
David’s career began in academia, teaching political philosophy at Carleton College in Northfield, MN. In the late 90’s he became involved in Minnesota politics, working in non-profit, campaign, and government research roles. He has been a political and policy advisor, as well as a speechwriter in 3 gubernatorial campaigns, several Congressional campaigns, and a US Senate campaign. He has also advised numerous state legislative candidates on policy issues.
David is a graduate of Carleton College, where he received a B.A. in Political Science and of Duke University, where he received a master’s degree in Political Philosophy. He resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota with his wife of 25 years, his parrot Rocky, and 4 cats. He is a member of Our Lady of Grace Parish in Edina, Minnesota.
Board of Directors

Archbishop George Joseph Lucas of Omaha
Chairman of the Board

John Schoenig,
University of Notre Dame ACE
Board Member

Michael Ortner,
Ortner Family Foundation
Board Member
Have questions? Let’s chat
Speak with a CEP representative to learn more about us and to get involved in the effort to expand parental choice in education and the Catholic mission.