Shawn Waltz

Trained legal and regulatory analyst with over a decade of experience applying complex rules to disputed facts, evaluating documentary records, drafting high-stakes written analysis, and explaining legal and regulatory conclusions to decision-makers.

Former Administrative Law Judge with experience conducting fact-finding hearings, assessing testimony and evidence, applying statutory and procedural requirements, and issuing written rulings. Experienced senior compliance administrator with extensive experience interpreting NCAA legislation, institutional policy, and regulatory guidance. Legal scholarship and teaching experience further demonstrate careful case analysis, authority checking, jurisdiction-sensitive reasoning, and clear explanatory writing.

Associate Athletics Director of Compliance at University of West Georgia (2024-2026) • Lead the institution's athletics compliance function and independently analyze complex NCAA, conference, and institutional requirements affecting eligibility, financial aid, participation, recruiting, and institutional control.

• Research governing rules and regulatory guidance, identify controlling provisions and exceptions, reconcile ambiguous or conflicting authorities, and translate conclusions into practical written and oral guidance.

• Evaluate complex factual records and documentation to determine whether regulatory requirements are satisfied and what additional evidence or analysis is necessary.

• Draft and review regulatory submissions, eligibility determinations, interpretive guidance, and other high-stakes written materials requiring precise factual development and rule application.

• Meet regularly with General Counsel and the Faculty Athletics Representative regarding legal, regulatory, procedural, and institutional-risk issues.

• Communicate evolving requirements to administrators, coaches, students, and campus partners while maintaining detailed records supporting institutional decisions and external review.

Director of Compliance at Abilene Christian University (2023–2024) • Independently analyzed NCAA, conference, and institutional rules governing eligibility, financial aid, rosters, and participation and advised stakeholders on legally and operationally significant requirements.

• Prepared NCAA academic waivers involving detailed factual development, regulatory interpretation, supporting documentation, and persuasive written advocacy.

• Reviewed evolving NCAA and conference standards, distinguished applicable rules from noncontrolling guidance, and converted complex requirements into clear training and operational instructions.

• Produced and reviewed major regulatory and data submissions, including Academic Progress Rate and Graduation Success Rate reporting.

NCAA Athletic Certification Officer at University of Louisiana at Lafayette (2018–2023) • Made detailed eligibility determinations for incoming, continuing, and transfer student-athletes across 16 NCAA Division I sports by applying NCAA and conference rules to academic and institutional records.

• Constructed and submitted NCAA academic waivers and analyzed complex transfer-credit, residency, financial-aid, and academic-record issues.

• Reconciled records across Admissions, Financial Aid, the Bursar, academic units, and institutional systems to resolve factual discrepancies and support defensible determinations.

University of South Dakota (2018) Student Athlete Academic Counselor

Privateer Athletics at University of New Orleans (2014–2018) Student Athlete Academic Counselor

Administrative Law Judge at Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (2013–2014) • Conducted fact-finding hearings in contested reemployment-assistance matters and evaluated testimony, documentary evidence, credibility, and the administrative record.

• Applied Florida statutory and procedural requirements to disputed facts and issued written rulings grounded in the governing law and evidence.

• Managed a high-volume docket involving hearings, deadlines, evidentiary records, procedural requirements, and legally sufficient written determinations. Student-Athlete Academic Advisor at

Juris Doctor – Mitchell Hamline School of Law (2025)

Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education Administration – University of New Orleans (2022)

Master of Science in Demography – Florida State University (2011)

Bachelor of Science in Political Science and Sociology – Florida State University (2009)