Supervisor Shawn Nelson was elected to the Orange County Board of Supervisors in June 2010. He was on the Fullerton City Council from November 2002 until his election to the Board of Supervisors having also servered as Mayor in 2004-05 and 2006-07, and as Mayor Pro Tem in 2003-04.

A native Californian, Supervisor Nelson was born in Lynwood and raised in Fullerton.The Sunny Hills High School graduate holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from USC, and a Juris Doctorate from Western State University College of Law. He has also studied economics at Harvard University.

An attorney by profession, Supervisor Nelson is the managing partner in the Santa Ana law firm of Rizio and Nelson. Mayor Nelson is a civil litigator and represents small business owners and individuals in a variety of legal matters. He also sits as an arbitrator for the Orange County Bar Association.

Supervisor Nelson served six years as the City's representative to the Board of Directors of the Orange County Water District.

Active in the community, Supervisor Nelson is a member of the Fullerton Elks Lodge, and the Orange County Bar Association. He is actively involved as a member of Zion Lutheran Church, is a sponsor and "Soccer Dad" for the Fullerton Rangers youth soccer club, and is head coach and a parent sponsor for Fullerton Pop Warner Football's Mighty Might Team.

Supervisor Nelson was named the "Local Elected Official for 2009" by the Orange County Republican Party.

Supervisor Nelson and his wife, Sharon, have three children: Kathryn, 10, Shane, 9, and Amanda, 6.