William Shelby

William Shelby has been a lecturer in the HHSPP and MSW departments since 2014. He teaches, and has taught, Conflict Resolution and Collaborative Negotiation, Collaborative Leadership & Community Building, Ethics for Health & Human Services, Policy Analysis, Senior Capstone, Advanced Conflict Resolution, and Social Policy & Advocacy.

He holds a Master’s of Public Administration and a graduate certificate in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from George Mason University. He holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Geography from Cal Poly Pomona.

Bill is a mediator and conflict coach working with individuals, businesses, public & academic institutions, and religious organizations to engage with conflict positively and more productively. He has worked in Monterey Superior Court providing mediation services to civil proceedings in small claims, unlawful detainer, and civil harassment cases. He has mentored and advised law students and volunteer mediators in the court setting. He has further experience in divorce mediation and restorative justice practices, and was, briefly, a Senior Mediator with the County of Santa Clara.

Bill has trained with the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center to provide conflict resolution processes in church settings and has extensive experience working on a multitude of cases ranging from interpersonal disputes to deep congregational rifts.

His work in conflict resolution began, oddly enough, through a career supporting the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, and Navy; as well as the Intelligence Community. Though his background is unconventional for the programs he teaches in, Bill brings a unique set of skills and insights that benefit and expand student context across the curriculum.

Bill was appointed by his county supervisor to the County Services Area advisory committee for his neighborhood. He has served on the Vestry of his church, taught Sunday School, and sings in the church folk group. He is a husband and father, and is an avid vegetable gardener and forager.

Don't be surprised if he mentions that he once lived in Japan. But he also has experience in Azerbaijan, Canada, China, Egypt, France, India, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Morocco, Russia, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, Ukraine, and Vietnam.