After leaving the Midwest and moving to LA, Shelley qualified for SAG union status by working as a principal performer in national advertisements. Later taking a ten year hiatus to pursue an interest in cognitive science, she graduated highest honors in 2019 from the University of California. Covid-19 thwarted her laboratory work; then her husband's career at Intel brought them both to New Mexico. These random events lead to Shelley's fortuitous return to acting.