Born and raised in California, Shelley met Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche in San Francisco in 2002, an encounter that changed his life. He received a Khyentse Foundation scholarship that enabled him to complete a three-year retreat from 2005 to 2008 at Vajradhara Gonpa, Rinpoche’s retreat center in Kyogle, Australia. 

Shelley began volunteering for the Khyentse Foundation Accounting Team in 2011, initially providing accounting support for 84000 (then an initiative of Khyentse Foundation) while training under Treasurer Marco Noailles. In 2018, he volunteered for two years with his wife, Laura, and son, Obama, at Sea to Sky Retreat Center in Whistler, Canada, before returning in 2020 to resume accounting support for Khyentse Foundation. In 2023, he was appointed Treasurer of Khyentse Foundation. 

Coming full circle, Shelley is excited to rejoin 84000 as Assistant Treasurer, training under Marco once again as he prepares to become Treasurer of 84000. He remains deeply inspired by the generosity of 84000’s donors and rejoices in the extraordinary work of the 84000 team in translating the Kangyur and Tengyur to make those precious texts freely accessible to all.

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