Shellie M. Monroe

As an adolescent, Shellie was eager to leave her parents' home and begin life as an independent young adult.  Like many teenagers, she thought she knew everything.  Shortly after leaving home, Shellie realized that she lacked much-needed life skills.

She married her boyfriend while in college.  As a young bride with poor relationship skills and the absence of various life skills, she struggled to maintain a happy and successful home.  The couple was on again and off again.

During a brief reconciliation, Shellie became pregnant with their daughter; the marriage did not survive.  She soon found herself divorced, raising a small child, dropping out of college, and in debt.  In desperate need of financial relief and a fresh start - Shellie filed for bankruptcy.

She knew she needed to improve her financial literacy skills.  Shellie increased her financial knowledge and learned new financial habits.  She is certified through the University of Maryland's Cooperative Extention Program and the National Endowment for Financial Education to teach financial literacy and planning to youth.

Shellie's adversities and triumphs as a single-parent have given her the desire to educate and empower other parents.  Her organization, Parents Empowering Families & Communities, accomplishes this goal. 

Shellie's trials and hardships as an unprepared teen transitioning into a young adult have given her the knowledge, compassion, and desire to help adolescents and young adults.

After a long hiatus, Shellie returned to Prince George's Community College and completed her A.A.S. in Business Management in 2011.  She is currently working on her B.S. in Business Administration and minoring in International Business.

Shellie is the proud parent of a twenty-year-old daughter; they reside in Prince George's County, Maryland.