Stephanie Anne Shelton is the Donald G. Tarbet Faculty Scholar in Education and Associate Professor of Qualitative Research Methodology in the School of Education at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In addition to eight books, Dr. Shelton has over 80 peer-reviewed articles, in outlets including Qualitative Inquiry, International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, Qualitative Research Journal, and International Review of Qualitative Research. She is the 2020 recipient of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Division D Early Career Award in Measurement and Research Methodology, 2022 Nellie Rose McCrory Teaching Excellence Award, 2022 American Library Association's Choice Book Award, and 2025 AERA Division D Outstanding Contributions to Research Methods Award. Her scholarship has been funded by the Spencer Foundation, AERA, National Council of Teachers of English, and the U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance.