Shelly (Keller) Mayer grew up on a dairy farm in southwestern Wisconsin.

Shelly graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Madison with a Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural journalism and dairy science. She received the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Outstanding Senior Award and the national Dairy Shrine’s Outstanding Student Recognition Award.

She married Dwight Mayer, also a UW–Madison graduate. They have three grown children—Devin, Cassandra, and Dylan—and five grandchildren. The Mayers dairy near Slinger, Wisconsin, where they manage a herd of Holsteins and Brown Swiss. Their farm is located in a highly urbanized area of southeastern Wisconsin, just 30 miles northwest of Milwaukee. They also own and manage an agri-tourism business that includes a restored 1850s events barn that has been in their family for seven generations.

Shelly currently serves as executive director of the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin (PDPW), the largest producer-led, education-based dairy organization in the country. PDPW has led national efforts to define dairy animal well-being and build consumer confidence in the dairy industry’s commitment to animal care and food safety.

Fun fact: Shelly is an avid gardener.