Shelly came to Northern Virginia in 2010 to work for the Smithsonian Institution and establish roots for her two daughters who were three and five at the time.  Her children were born while she was working for the Department of Defense Education Activity in Vicenza Italy.  She then moved her family to Crete, Greece when the girls were one and three to work for the US Navy.

She is an engineer, Navy veteran, and dedicated mother. She and her husband live in Northern Virginia with their four children, two daughters and two stepsons, all of whom attended Fairfax County Public Schools.

Shelly holds a bachelors degree in electrical and computer engineering, a master’s degree in environmental engineering and is a licensed Professional Engineer in the state of Virginia.

Shelly served 10 years in the Navy’s Civil Engineer Corps, followed by 17 years as a government civilian, including a senior position at the National Gallery of Art. During her career, she became frustrated by wasteful government spending and inefficiency, culminating in her wrongful termination after exposing financial misconduct within her agency.

Shelly grew up in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, and earned her education through hard work and ROTC scholarships. She has lived and worked in various countries, including Cuba, Spain, England, Italy and Greece, gaining firsthand experience with government bureaucracy and its impacts on families.

As a mother, veteran, and professional, Shelly is committed to holding the government accountable and restoring fiscal responsibility. She is running for office to fight for families, transparency, and a government that works for everyone.