Salisbury, MD – Salisbury warmly welcomes Shawn Yonker as the new Communications Director. With extensive experience in public relations, journalism, and communications, Yonker is a perfect fit for our vision of open communication and community engagement.
Yonker, currently in his ninth year as the Assistant Athletic Director for Marketing and Media Relations with the Hawks, brings a wealth of knowledge to this role. He has over 16 years of experience in public relations, communications, and journalism, including work at esteemed newspapers and as a Communications Coordinator at Perdue Corporate. Yonker’s commitment to education is evident through his past role as an adjunct professor of communications at Salisbury University.
Yonker’s career in Salisbury began in 2004 when he became the Sports Editor at the Daily Times, quickly becoming a respected figure in our local sports community. His contributions to the Maryland-Delaware-District of Columbia Press Association and the Associated Press earned him accolades. His contributions extended beyond print, including freelance work for renowned organizations like the Associated Press.
As Communications Coordinator at Perdue, Yonker excelled in media relations, event planning, crisis communications, charitable giving, social media management, and internal company communications. Notably, he spearheaded the successful sponsorship of the 2011 “Strike Out Hunger” South Atlantic League All-Star game hosted by the Delmarva Shorebirds, which provided meals for thousands of local families.
Yonker is not just a professional but a dedicated community servant, volunteering with organizations like the Chesapeake Housing Mission, Maryland Food Bank, Salisbury City Park cleanup projects, and the Oyster Recovery Partnership. He has also actively contributed as a volunteer travel soccer coach with the Salisbury United Soccer Club.
Yonker earned his associate’s degree from Allegany College of Maryland and his bachelor’s degree from West Virginia University’s Perley Isaac Reed School of Media in 1997. He is a distinguished member of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
The City of Salisbury eagerly welcomes him as our Communications Director, confident that his skills and dedication will significantly enhance communication and engagement within our community, bringing us all closer together.
City Administrator Andy Kitzrow expressed excitement about Yonker joining the team, stating, “His expertise in communications and dedication to community service are precisely what Salisbury needs as we continue to grow and engage with our residents. We eagerly anticipate benefiting from his extensive experience.”
