(They/Them/Theirs) Shay was born and raised in the midwest, attended the University of Iowa for their undergraduate degree, and began supporting fellow students as a TRiO tutor. After graduation, they moved to Seattle where they worked for two years at Northwest Education Access, supporting students through their GED and into college. Shay then pursued a Masters in Social Work at the University of Washington. While in graduate school, they honed their skills in advocating for students and for their LGBTQ+ community. Upon graduation, they moved to Northern California where they worked at College of the Redwoods CalWORKs, TRiO, and Upward Bound programs. When not working with students, they enjoy hiking with their partner and dog, watching women’s soccer, and eating vegan food.