Biography and education
Shelby started her career in recreational therapy completing her undergraduate degree at Texas State University. She has been a recreational therapist for 10 years working in a variety of settings such as acute psych, municipal recreation, and military. She is passionate about using recreational therapy to support and empower her clients. Shelby earned her Master's in Public Administration for Northeastern University in Boston, MA and her PhD in Health, Leisure and Human Performance from Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, OK.
Teaching Interests
Research Interests
Featured scholarly/creative works
- Thomas, K. A., Kaitlin, M. E., Farrell, J. W., Sharpe, S. M., & Heffner, C. J. (2025). Recreational Therapy, Exercise Physiology, and Athletic Training: Interprofessional Collaborative Practices for Adaptive Sports. Therapeutic Recreation Journal, 59(2), 163–183. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.18666/TRJ-2025-V59-I2-12599
- Kim, M. B., Thomas, K. A., Sharpe, S. M., & Farrell, J. W. (2025). Understanding Reasons for Participation and Barriers Within Adaptive Sports for Individuals with Physical Disabilities. Recreational Sports Journal, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1177/15588661241292027
- Thomas, K. A., Mueller, K. E., Sharpe, S. M., Whaley, D., Heffner, C. J., & Farrell, J. W. (2025). Proposing practice recommendations for adaptive sports for the disciplines of recreational therapy, exercise physiology, and athletic training. American Journal of Precreation Therapy, 24(1), 7–18. Retrieved from https://wmpllc.org/ojs/index.php/ajrt/article/view/3881
- Sharpe, S. M., Passmore, T., Thomas, K. A., Lindenmeier, D., & Winston, J. (2023). Operation growth: The impact of heroes on the water kayak fishing on post-traumatic growth in U.S. Military Veterans. Annual in Therapeutic Recreation, 57(4), 321–339. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.18666/TRJ-2023-V57-I4-11974
- Passmore, T., Beasley, M., Brickell, B., Lindenmeier, D., & Jackson, S. M. (2022). Community Based Recreational Therapy Treatment Case Report: Parkinson’s Disease.
Featured awards
- Award / Honor Recipient: Certification of Appreciation, Warrior Transition Unit-Ft. Sam Houston/BAMC. 2019 - Present
- Award / Honor Recipient: Certification of Appreciation, Warrior Transition Unit-Ft. Stewart. 2018 - Present
- Award / Honor Recipient: Peg Connolly Scholarship, ATRA. 2021
- Award / Honor Recipient: College of Education & Human Services Scholarship, Oklahoma State University-College of Education & Human Services. 2021
- Award / Honor Recipient: 2020 Ed Supina Scholarship, TRSSW. 2020
Featured service activities
- Member
TPWD Accessibility Advisory Committee
- Organizer
HHP Agency & Grad Fair
- Co-Chair
HHP Student Champions Committee
- Co-Chair
ATRA Quality Internship Supervisor Committee
- Secretary
TRAPS TR Branch Board
- Member
Scholarship Committee College of Education