Shelley has served as theatre director since 2015. She holds a B.A. in Communication and Theatre Arts from Mercer University, an M.F.A. in Theatre with an emphasis in performance from the University of Southern Mississippi, and an active K-12 Licensure in Theatre and Speech. Prior to her work at Darlington, Shelley was a theatre teacher at South Side High School in Jackson, Tenn., for 11 years, during which time she was also an adjunct instructor at the University of Tennessee at Martin. She has directed and acted in numerous professional and collegiate theaters. Shelley also worked in New Concept Development for the Walt Disney Company and has led acting workshops for students of all ages. She has earned many awards and accolades for both teaching and performance.