Shannon Watts

Shannon Watts is an American gun violence prevention activist and the founder of Moms Demand Action. Born in Rochester, New York, she graduated from the University of Missouri in 1994. After working in the Missouri House of Representatives and for former Governor Mel Carnahan, Watts pursued a successful career as a communications executive at companies such as FleishmanHillard, Monsanto, GE Healthcare, and WellPoint. In 2008, she shifted her focus to her family. Inspired by the tragic Sandy Hook School shooting in 2012, Watts started a Facebook group to unite women against the gun lobby, drawing inspiration from Mothers Against Drunk Driving. She has since campaigned for gun control candidates, including President Joe Biden, and serves on the board of Emerge America, Advance Peace, and Urban Peace Institute.