Every quarter, TSAHC spotlights a staff member or partner to help our readers get to know our mission and industry a little better.
This week, we are spotlighting Shelby Giddens, TSAHC's Marketing & Communications Specialist. In her role at TSAHC, Shelby is responsible for creating the marketing materials, videos and social media content that help us advertise and grow TSAHC's programs, and share about TSAHC's success. Shelby joined TSAHC in 2024 and we are so thankful to have her as part of the team!
Below is her interview.
Tell us about yourself.
I am originally from Alaska and moved to Texas when I was 12. I played soccer and lacrosse in high school. After high school, I attended the University of North Texas where I continued to play soccer. I have always enjoyed art and knew I wanted to make a career out of it. In 2019, I earned my BA in Advertising, focusing on photography and graphic design. The way I look at it is, I get to do art on the computer for a living, which is everything I could hope for.
I met my husband in 7th grade. We have an energetic 3 year old son and are expecting our second son in the fall of 2026. We also have two dogs; a German Shorthaired Pointer named Shiloh and a Rhodesian Ridgeback named Morgan.
Congratulations on 2 years at TSAHC! What do you like most about working here?
I love the atmosphere here at TSAHC. I have never worked anywhere that treats its employees as well as TSAHC treats us. My team is amazing and works so well together. I feel beyond privileged to be here.
Outside of work, what do you like to do in your free time?
I really enjoy going out to the ranch with my family. We like to hunt, BBQ and listen to music around the fire under the Texas stars. I also enjoy crocheting and knitting. My sister and I crochet items such as stuffed animals, blankets, clothes, and home décor, then sell them at craft fairs. I’ve always loved knitting and crocheting in the evenings while watching TV, but now I get to do it with my sister which makes it even more fun.
Do you have a bucket list? What's one of the things you hope to accomplish?
One day, I would like to take my husband and kids to Alaska! I would love to show them where I grew up, take them halibut fishing in the gulf, and go camping in the Alaska wilderness.
What do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment?
Honestly, just getting to be where I am today. I have a job I love, a wonderful and supportive husband, and a perfect little boy with one more on the way. Just a couple years ago, I didn’t feel like any of this would be possible. I’m so grateful!
If you had to do something else for a living, what would it be?
I honestly can’t think of anything else I’d rather do. I’ve wanted to be a graphic designer since I was 14!
Do you have a favorite book, movie, or TV show?
Some of my favorite movies are Due Date, This is 40, and The Greatest Showman. My guilty pleasure movie is Rock of Ages. It’s a horribly wonderful movie. It’s one of those movies that’s so bad, it’s hilarious and you can’t stop watching.
Some of my favorite TV shows include Criminal Minds, Duck Dynasty, Yellowstone, and Landman. I also like watching stand-up comedy specials. My husband and I are big fans of comedians such as Bill Burr, Nate Bargatze, Shane Gillis, and Tom Segura. We try to see them live whenever we can.
What’s your favorite type of music?
I love traditional country music. My husband and I will travel around the state of Texas to see country artists from the 80s-now perform. Some of the best shows we’ve seen were Mark Chesnutt, Dwight Yoakam, John Michael Montgomery, Rodney Atkins, and Cody Johnson. We have even gotten our 3-year-old son into country music and now he can sing every word to Cody Johnson’s songs. We have a shared country playlist that we listen to every day and it has 734 songs which equates to 44 hours of music!
Do you like to travel? If so, tell us about your most memorable trip. Do you have a dream destination?
I do! I have been traveling since I was 3 months old and have always loved it. One of my favorite trips was in high school when I got to travel to Denmark and Sweden to play soccer. I got to make the trip with some of my best friends and play my favorite sport. We also got to hang out with girls our age from those countries and learn about their lives and cultures.
Another favorite was my trip to Ireland when I was 23. I went with my grandma, and we had a blast sight-seeing around the country and doing a pub-crawl through Dublin. And the last big trip I took was to the Dominican Republic with my parents, siblings, grandma, husband, and our son (who was 6 months old at the time). The beaches were gorgeous, the food was amazing, and it was so much fun playing with our baby boy in the water. We also discovered the hack to traveling with an infant: bringing the grandparents!
Last but not least, tell us something about yourself that many people might not know.
In college, I designed tattoos and sold the designs to tattoo shops. I liked to draw in my free time and it gave me extra cash for pizza and Dr. Pepper. Since then, I've drawn all my own tattoos, as well as some for friends and family. I have several designs I plan to have done over the next few years.
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