Bio
Shelly was born and raised in Brooklyn, where she developed a commitment to community and social justice. She earned a BA in English Literature and Sociology from SUNY New Paltz and later worked as a chocolatier before pursuing her social work master's. After many years in the Hudson Valley, Shelly has returned to Brooklyn where she currently lives with her dog Henrie. Now a second-year MSW student at Columbia University, she specializes in policy practice with a focus on social welfare for immigrants and refugees. She’s been involved in food justice, LGBTQ asylum seeker support, and immigration advocacy. Currently, Shelly is an intern with the Columbia Social Intervention Group where she is collaborating with Dr. Lyudmila Kim on the establishment of the Uzbekistan-Columbia Center for advancing community strengths and social well-being. As a child of refugees from the former USSR Shelly is excited to work with post soviet populations and to better understand the diasporic nature of the former soviet nations! She also currently works as a part-time researcher with Dr. Mashura Akilova, studying Central Asian Migration to the United States. In her free time, she enjoys exploring Prospect Park with her dog, training for marathons, and reading obscure women’s literature.