Shelby is originally from Louisville, Kentucky and obtained her Bachelor of Science in American Politics from the United States Military Academy in 2017, she simultaneously was commissioned as a Field Artillery Officer in the United States Army. During her time in the Army Shelby was stationed in West Point, New York, Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and Fort Bliss, Texas along with two deployments to the Middle East. While still being an active duty officer she obtained her Masters of Arts in Social Sciences from The Citadel in 2021. In 2022 Shelby made the decision to leave the Army as a Captain to pursue a new career as an educator. Starting the Fall Semester of 2022 Shelby began teaching at Jefferson Community and Technical College, after two years of teaching at the community college level Shelby decided to further her own education, at the University of Kentucky's Political Science Ph.D. Program with a focus in American Politics.