Shelly Trent serves as the Policy & Research Associate for Next Step where she is responsible for coordinating policy priorities and activities. She supports the CEO and the VP of Strategic Partnerships in conducting research to obtain and evaluate relevant data, information, and policy perspectives from subject matter experts, interest groups, and other governmental agencies.
Before moving into the policy and research role, Shelly was Next Step’s HR and Training Coordinator. Before joining Next Step, Shelly worked in a nonprofit membership association and in employee development for Kentucky Housing Corporation, the state’s housing finance agency.
Shelly is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) by the HR Certification Institute, as a SHRM-Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP), and as a Certified Association Executive (CAE) by the American Society of Association Executives. She holds a B.A. in government and writing and a master’s degree in public administration from Western Kentucky University and completed her Ph.D. coursework (all but dissertation) at the University of Louisville in human resources development.