Shelly was such a bright light of wit, intelligence, humor and deep commitment to the betterment of people everywhere.  Our work together started when she was on SCHIP and continued during her time at PEW on oral health.  Shelly was the consummate policymaker who knew how to draw people of diverse opinions together toward a common good.  Her heart was always focused on the true north.  We were all blessed to know her.  

Sending my love to Shelly’s family. During my time at Pew she never failed to be kind to me and help me as I was starting out my career. I’m so grateful my path crossed with hers.

Like all Shelly's friends I am saddened beyond belief. I expected to have Shelly's advice, guidance, joy, sound judgement, and sense of humor in my life for a decade  or more. Shelly had so many admirable qualities it is hard to just pick one.  But if forced, what I admired most was the balance she built into her life.   She worked hard and was immensely successful professionally, but she never let work interfere with her wonderful family and boatload of friends.  She loved Mark and her children-- and was always telling us about their accomplishments.  She loved to travel, cook, play pickle ball, keep fit, read, discuss politics and the latest news.   I always loved her outrage.  She didn't display it often, but she hated stupidity and greed and was so forthright in expressing her utter disdain for injustice.  We all miss Shelly now and will forever more!

Let’s talk about pie. Shelly loved to make pies and did so with a finesse and talent that simply awed me. When my husband Ken and I would visit Mark and Shelly at the family cabin in Cape Cod, there would arise the most intelligent of debates; debates about what kind of pie would be the best pie for dessert that night. Strawberry rhubarb? Blueberry? Peach? Sometimes détente was reached with a half-and-half version: one half of the pie given over to the peach-loving coalition, the other half an homage to the fans of blueberries.

Heads of government would have done well to have followed her lead.

The second debate was around the nature of pie itself: was it really only a dessert? Could it not, when accompanied with a good cup of coffee, or a crisp white wine, or possibly a slice of melted cheese, serve as a full meal? It was an existential question: whether or not pie could be lifted out of a single confining category. Could it not be liberated to enjoy its full privilege at the table?

And then, the final debate would arise, inevitably, after we had finished off the first pie, the question would arise as to whether a second one should be made. And Shelly would wonder and muse: would that be “too much pie?” We spent significant time circling around this enigmatic question: is it even possible for there to be too much pie?

And so she would roll out the dough for the crust, and ever so gracefully lift it up, sheltered between two sheets of waxed paper. She would hold it up to the light, to a take the measure of its translucence. Again and again, Shelly crafted the perfect pie.

And like her pies, Shelly crafted all things that mattered to her with the same care, the same deliberation: in her marriage to Mark, her beloved, in her friendships with so many of us, with her family, in her work, in her play, and in what was the most cherished role of her life, that of being a mother to Alex and Hannah, in all of it, Shelly folded in the flavors of intelligence, she poured in the ingredients of love and dedication and humor. She held her deliberations – deliberations about her faith, about her family, about the impoverished and disenfranchised, about freedom and tyranny – she held them up to the light, she measured the weight of them, the reason of them, the translucence of them, and as such, in everything she touched, she offered no mere dessert. Shelly made for us, each and every time, a feast.

All our love, dear, wonderful friend. 

Carolyn and Ken

Sending my condolences to you and the family Mark. Shelly was always so nice and friendly when I saw her. I can still picture the two of you in Denver last year looking like newlyweds as you were heading to dinner.  Peace and comfort to all of Shelly's family and friends.

I met Shelly in 2010 when she was director of the Children’s Dental Campaign (Pew Center on the States). She was the best "boss" (it feels very weird using that term) that I ever had.

Shelly was tough when she needed to be but gentle at heart. Lots of people talk about team-building, but that was part of Shelly’s DNA. She always looked for opportunities to enable the people around her to grow and shine.

As serious as our campaign’s mission was, Shelly found a way to add a dose of fun. One day, soon after I began at Pew, we were trying to decide how to handle a media request. She turned to me and said: “Let’s go for a walk.” “A walk?” I replied. “Yes,” she said, “I think we both need a little chocolate to figure this out.” So, off we strolled to buy chocolate chip cookies and continue our deliberations.

Shelly was a dear friend and a mentor. I will never forget her.

Dearest loved ones of Shelly,

As you know, I first met Shelly when she was an infant and I was five years old. We grew up next door to each other. I am devastated by this tremendous loss. I  can hear Shelly's wonderful laugh as I write this. When she wasn't laughing, she was being serious and passionate  about the injustice in this world. It seemed to me that Shelly wanted to right the wrongs of the planet on which we live.  I simply cannot believe she is gone. There are no words that can make this better. Just know that I share your  grief. I wish MY grief could alleviate some of yours.

Love to all of Shelly's family, Connie (Dietrich) Grau (and Tom, who liked Shelly from the moment he met her)

Peace to you and your family, Mark.

Shelly was just the best. She loved so hard, and I’m so blessed for having known her. I already miss seeing her giant smile- she was just genuinely so happy to see people. She was so proud of Alex and Hannah, both personally and professionally, and you would have thought she was a newlywed the way she spoke of Mark. She taught me you can be caring and still not a pushover at work, and taught me that direct is best. I will do my best to honor her by channeling my inner Shelly, both at home and at work. The world is a little less smiley today, but we are all blessed that we got time with Shelly in our lives. 

Shelly was one of those people that just leaves a mark everywhere she goes. I’ll never forget how she was able to inspire people to care about community water fluoridation and how she kindly helped us at the AAP to keep our efforts going when Pew was no longer able to fund. She was smart and sassy and really is someone I looked up to early in my career. We didn’t keep in touch much beyond her time at Pew, but I learned a lot from Shelly and hope she rests in peace.