Shelly spent several years in Alaska working on commercial fishing boats after she graduated from High School. She completed her undergraduate degree at Utah State University in Forestry and Natural Resources Management, while she worked as a wildland firefighter. She relocated to Bend in 1998 and worked as a counselor and eventually became the wilderness director for the Northstar Center, a residential treatment program for at-risk youth. She completed a wilderness first responder course during her employment at Northstar which was the catalyst for her interest in Medicine. She then was employed at the Kids Center as the Events Coordinator, and eventually moved to Portland, Maine for 2 years with her family, to complete her Masters in Physician Assistant Studies. She is a tri-athlete and enjoys reading, projects, multiple outdoor activities and traveling. She is constantly entertained by her husband, and two sons, 10 and 7. She has been practicing as a urology PA since 2007.