Shawn Cherri

As Center Operations Supervisor at BlueSprig Columbia, Shawn works every day to create a welcoming, organized, and supportive environment for children and their families. His role focuses on guiding daily operations, supporting the dedicated clinic team, and ensuring that every family feels informed, respected, and cared for from the moment they walk through the doors. Shawn believes that compassionate structure, clear communication, smooth processes, and a warm atmosphere help children thrive and families feel truly supported throughout their care journey.

Shawn’s path to this work has been shaped by a lifetime of service and hands-on leadership. As a former Marine and firefighter, he developed resilience, teamwork, and the ability to remain calm and focused in challenging situations. He later spent ten years as a Senior Instructor for Fall Protection with 3M, training workers across the world and developing a deep appreciation for safety, precision, and effective instruction. These experiences strengthened his ability to lead diverse groups, build trust, and create systems that keep people safe and supported—skills he brings to the clinic every day.

Beyond his professional roles, Shawn has served as a caretaker for an elderly patient with Parkinson’s disease and as a house manager for two ISL homes. These experiences gave him a deeper understanding of the challenges families face when navigating complex care needs and reinforced his commitment to treating every individual with dignity, patience, and empathy.

Having grown up in Columbia, Missouri, Shawn is grateful for the opportunity to serve families in the community that helped shape him. He lives on a small farm with his family, where he enjoys spending time with his youngest son fishing for bass in their pond or exploring the woods in search of arrowheads. Over the years, Shawn has also trained horses, taught riding lessons, and remained active in sports, especially soccer, which he still plays today. His career has taken him to all 50 states and much of South America, and he has lived in three different countries. These experiences have broadened his perspective and deepened his appreciation for the many ways people learn, communicate, and connect.

As a father of four, Shawn understands how important it is for families to feel confident in the care their children receive. His goal is to help make BlueSprig Columbia a place where children feel safe, supported, and celebrated, and where families know they have a team walking alongside them every step of the way.