Meet the Team : Erin

WHO - Erin Shellenberger, Luke’s wife

TITLE - Luke’s Handler & Social Media Manager, among about 50 other job titles

HOMETOWN - originally Little Rock, Arkansas

WHEN - married to Luke since 2012

I guess you could say that I’m responsible for this little blog and running interference on Luke’s public image. While you may know him as a likeable, well-respected and trustworthy surgeon, I’m the one who sees him using the chainsaw from the top of an extension ladder or cleaning the gutters with the aid of his homemade stilts. Thanks, YouTube.

Still, I’m the lucky one that gets to be married to this guy. Though at-times he pushes me to do things that I’d really rather not — like ski in a snowstorm at 9º F or run in a 5K Bubble Run — he is the one that I attribute for bringing 100% of the fun and sense of adventure into my life. We’re a blended family, which is an adventure unto itself, but we play hard and try to make-up for it with innumerable traditions and family memories.

When we were dating, Luke asked if I liked to travel. Though I hadn’t seen much of the world before we met, we’ve worked hard to recover lost time and have enjoyed seeing places ranging from Australia, to the Pacific Northwest, Central America, Patagonia, Southern Africa, and Greece. I’ve followed him above the clouds to see the sunrise at Mount Haleakala (Hawaii) and in a hot air balloon (Aspen, CO), have rappelled down waterfalls (Costa Rica) and have swum to the depths of the Blue Hole - diving 130 feet (Belize).

Between adventures, I homeschool my daughter, and serve as Founder and Director the non-profit NEST, which I run from our home. NEST is a host-family ministry to young, at-risk single women in unplanned pregnancies. I have a deep love for mentoring younger women in life and in faith and enjoy leading a weekly Bible study. I am also the Co-Founder of The Inheritance, our non-profit for Luke’s medical mission work.

I have what feels like countless personal hobbies and interests with simply too few hours in the day. I enjoy landscaping & gardening, photography, singing & playing the piano, watercoloring for relaxation, and cooking fancy (sometimes). My favorite time of day, however is the first hour of the morning spent with Jesus over coffee.