On Your Side Problem Solver, Shellie Bailey-Shah, joined KATU in 2001. Since November 2006, she has specialized in consumer-related investigative reports. “We try to identify scams and rip-offs,” Shellie says, “so that our viewers can be well-educated consumers.”

Shellie began her broadcasting career as a producer at WFMZ in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and WCAU in Philadelphia. In 1996, she returned to her home state of Michigan as a reporter for WZZM in Grand Rapids. From there, she moved to News 12 Connecticut in Norwalk.

While in Connecticut, she won numerous awards for outstanding journalism, including an Emmy for her documentary, entitled “Haiti: A Mission of Mercy,” that showed the struggles of a local medical team trying to establish the first cardiac care unit in Haiti. In 2000, Shellie was awarded the Sherlee Barish Fellowship for Outstanding Young Journalists by the Radio and Television News Directors Foundation.

Since coming to Portland, Shellie has received more recognition, including the 2004 Best Continuing Coverage Award from the Associated Press and runner-up for the 2005 “Best of the West” Investigative Reporting Award for her investigation of former Portland Trailblazer Qyntel Wood’s alleged involvement in illegal dog fighting. Largely because of Shellie’s work, Woods was convicted of first-degree animal abuse and released by the Blazers. Shellie also won the 2006 Best News Series award from the Oregon Association of Broadcasters for her story, “Breast Milk for Sale.”

Shellie graduated from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Radio, Television and Film from the School of Communication and a Master’s degree in Broadcast Journalism from the acclaimed Medill School of Journalism. While in college, she interned at WLS in Chicago and WOOD in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Shellie lives in the Portland area with her husband and two sons. She is an active volunteer at her children’s schools and her church. She’s also a cubmaster and den leader for Cub Scouts. Away from work, Shellie enjoys scrapbooking, traveling and exploring the Northwest with her family.