Shelly Jones serves as the Manager of Strategic Initiatives for JAG-Missouri, where she partners closely with the Executive Director to advance organizational priorities and ensure alignment across programs and teams. In this role, she leads the planning, coordination, and implementation of curriculum, professional development systems, mentorship initiatives, grant-funded programs, and statewide events.
Shelly brings an impressive 34 years of experience in education, spanning both secondary and university levels. Prior to stepping into this role, she served as a JAG Specialist at Marshfield High School for four years, where she demonstrated a strong commitment to student success and program excellence. Her academic background includes a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education (K–12) from Austin Peay State University and a Master’s degree in Secondary Education from Drury University.
Throughout her career, Shelly has been recognized for her leadership and impact. Under her guidance, her program achieved the prestigious “6 of 6” national performance standards from 2022–2026, along with a 100% graduation rate. She has also contributed to the growth of JAG-Missouri by mentoring new specialists and assisting with statewide training efforts. In 2023, she was honored as the Outstanding New Specialist.
Shelly is deeply motivated by the relationships she builds and the students she serves. She finds the greatest fulfillment in watching students gain confidence, apply life skills, and pursue their passions.
Outside of work, Shelly enjoys spending time outdoors, especially playing golf. A guiding principle in her life is: “See a need… Fill a need.”
Testimonials
Before I joined JAG, I was lost. JAG provided assistance in pinpointing a career and making steps in order to pursue it. My JAG Specialist motivated me to make connections and to continue my education in the emergency response industry. JAG has changed my life!
JAG has been a life changer.
JAG pushes us out of our comfort zone. It has truly helped me find my voice. I have learned how to voice my opinions the right way – when to speak and when to listen. Without JAG I have no doubt I would still be living my old life. I wish I could have found my voice sooner, but the important thing now is: I have found it, and I will never let it go.
Born into a family where addiction was a generational struggle, Destany Massey faced her own battles with substance abuse and a life lacking direction. Determined to break free from the cycle of trauma and hardship, she sought a different path. That path led her to the JAG (Jobs for America’s Graduates Missouri) program, a turning point she never saw coming. With the unwavering support of the program and her teacher, Destany found purpose, healing, and hope.
“JAG and my teacher literally saved my life,” she shares. Through resilience and determination, Destany overcame addiction, broke the chains of a painful past, and transformed her life into a story of success and the promise of a brighter future.
I felt hopeless because no matter what I did, I thought the future I wanted was too far out of reach. I wasn’t smart enough or rich enough to live the life I wanted. Because of this, at the age of 15, I exploded. Everything parents pray their child isn’t doing, I was, or I was trying to. In the midst of this self destruction, the greatest opportunity came up and shook my hand. I went from dropping out to picking up my cap and gown. JAG didn’t save my life, it taught me how to save my own.
