Shelley was born and raised in rural southern Wisconsin. She attended Carleton College in MN, where she received a BA in psychology. Shelley moved east for graduate school, receiving an MA in psychology and a PhD in organizational behavior from Harvard University. She and her husband, Michael Liang, moved farther east to London, England, where they spent a few years before finding their way back to the Midwest. They have lived in Little Italy since 2006. They live here with their two young daughters and their dog.

Shelley is a professor at UIC, where she is on the faculty at the Business School. She researches issues related to organizing, identity, stakeholder relations, and diversity management. She teaches MBA students negotiations and leadership. Shelley has worked with other faculty to create a new area of study for MBA students, Social Innovation and Leadership.

Shelley has a long-standing interest in nonprofit organizations. After college, she worked for a number of nonprofits in Costa Rica. She also spent a year as a Fellow at the Hauser Center for Nonprofit Organizations at Harvard.

Shelley is a member of C4C’s board. In this capacity, she has helped to develop C4C’s organizational blueprint and is involved in overseeing the organization’s structures and processes. She believes that C4C can be a vital organizing vehicle for the community and is excited to see where community members take it.