UA welcomes Shelby Beck as the assistant director of Federal Relations

September 18, 2026

Shelby Beck joined the University of Alaska in September 2026 as the Assistant Director of Federal Relations. Based in Washington, D.C., Shelby serves as a liaison between the University of Alaska, the Alaska congressional delegation, and federal agencies - monitoring national trends, managing legislative inquiries, and advancing UA’s strategic priorities. 

Prior to joining UA and following her graduation from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Shelby worked for University of Florida’s Office of Federal Relations in Washington, D.C. While there, Shelby worked to support the University of Florida’s federal advocacy efforts through routine interactions with the Florida congressional delegation, managing appropriations timelines and submissions, coordinating faculty engagement with Congress and federal agencies, organizing high-profile events, and overseeing the university’s D.C. internship program. 

Shelby is published as a co-author in Journal of Environmental Management for her undergraduate research aligning resource sustainability with economic policy to advance balanced regional growth. Her background also includes environmental policy and research internships with the Orange County Commissioner’s Office, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and the U.S. Geological Survey NAS; she first arrived in D.C. on a Sea Grant policy sponsorship. 

Originally from Las Vegas, Nevada, Shelby spent most of her childhood on hockey skates and hiking Red Rock Canyon with her family.