Shelley Neese

Shelley Neese has dedicated her career to reporting on the complex narrative of Israel, covering both its ancient roots and modern geopolitical landscape. As the president of the Jerusalem Connection, she leads a nonprofit mission to educate and mobilize support for Israel and the Jewish people. Her organization focuses on Holocaust education through the arts, a mission highlighted by her work as the editor of The Auschwitz Album Revisited.

Simultaneously, she serves as the coordinator for American Christian Leaders for Israel (ACLI), an ICEJ USA project established in 2015 to unify pro-Israel advocacy across America. In this capacity, Shelley manages a strategic network that brings together 3,000 pastors and Christian leaders. In recognition of her advocacy, she was named as one of the top 50 Christian Allies of Israel in 2023 by the Israel Allies Foundation.

Shelley’s extensive background in the Middle East prepared her for these leadership and media roles. She spent three years in Israel at Ben Gurion University, where she earned a Master of Arts in Middle Eastern studies. Her firsthand perspective on the region is deepened by the fact that she lived in Israel during two wars. Currently, she is pursuing a master’s degree in biblical history and archaeology at the Bible Seminary. As part of her archaeology studies, she excavates in Israel at Shiloh in the summer. Her expertise in the field also led to her involvement in the production of four documentaries related to biblical history and archaeology.

An accomplished author and broadcaster, Shelley wrote the number one bestseller The Copper Scroll Project and Bible Fiber: The Twelve Minor Prophets. Since 2020, she has hosted the Bible Fiber podcast, where she explores the biblical text for a global audience. She also serves as a guest host for the podcast Out of Zion. Her analysis appeared in numerous international publications. Shelley’s expertise made her a sought-after guest on programs such as the Eric Metaxas Show on TBN, Jerusalem Dateline on CBN, InGrace with Jim Scudder, and The Watchman with Erick Stakelbeck.

Shelley lives in south Florida with her husband, a physician and colonel in the U.S. Air Force, and their four children. As a military family, they have lived in ten places in the last 25 years.