Shawn Murphy worked for 12 years for the American Society of Composers, Authors and Composers (ASCAP) in their London, New York and Chicago offices. His final post with the Society found him as Director of Midwest Membership where he was responsible for all regional programming and membership outreach efforts. Concurrently, Shawn was a board member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) best known for producing the award show known as the Grammys as well as president of his own not-for-profit, In Music We Trust, which coordinated music business-related after school programming for Chicago Public School students with the Chicago-based foundation, After School Matters.
For many years Shawn guest lectured in high schools and universities around the Midwest until he was brought on as adjunct faculty at Columbia College Chicago to help guide the creation of the College's music publishing program. Subsequently, Shawn was also asked to teach music publishing as a part of the prestigious DePaul University Performing Arts Management program.