Shelley has spent her career in the social service sector. Graduating from Wichita State University with undergraduate and graduate degrees in psychology, her first professional position was at a maximum security prison in Hutchinson, KS where she was a “psychologist” working with inmates. From there she went to a community mental health center where she worked in various programs, including oversight of the Sedgwick County Sexual Abuse Treatment program, providing therapy to hundreds of sex offenders. She then became the Director of Children’s Services and helped implement mental health reform and the ultimate closure of the Topeka State Psychiatric Hospital’s children and adolescent units. Shelley then moved into child welfare, where she worked at EmberHope for 19 years, serving as President and CEO for her last 12 years. She implemented one of the first trauma programs specifically designed for youth in foster care. Shelley has been the Executive Director of Project Access (an affiliate of the Medical Society of Sedgwick County) since July of 2017. In 2018 she also assumed two other programs as Executive Director; Health ICT (a CDC grant funded program focused on improving chronic health conditions) and the Kansas Business Group on Health. In her spare time, Shelley enjoys an array of physical fitness activities-having completed 14 marathons, traveling, and supporting pet related charities. She and her husband of 36 years have four adult children and 3 precious grandbabies, all 18 months old who are the light of her life.