Shalela Dowdy is a native of Mobile Alabama. In 2008 she graduated from Murphy High School. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in American Legal Studies (Pre Law) from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 2012 and a Master of Arts in Leadership Studies from the University of Texas at El Paso in 2017. Currently she is a Law Student at Southern University Law Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She served 6 years in the United States Army on active duty as an Air Defense Artillery Officer and Human Resource Officer. She is currently in the Army Reserves where she holds the rank of Major and the position of Military Academy Liaison Officer where she supports the Directorate of Admissions at United States Military Academy at West Point.
Shalela is a member of Urban League Young Professionals, Kappa Epsilon Psi Military Sorority, a Silver Life Member of the NAACP and the 2nd Vice President of the Mobile Branch of the NAACP, a Legacy Life Member of NCNW (National Council of Negro Women), a member of Delta Sigma Theta, and the Founding President of Stand Up Mobile a non-profit no partisan organization that does work centered around voter engagement in the Black Community within Mobile County.