Shauna Staples is a Navy veteran who served from 2015 to 2021 as a nuclear electrician. She served aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford, where she was responsible for maintaining the electrical systems that supported the reactor. While serving aboard the USS Ford, she was part of the reactor team that commissioned the ship and prepared it for deployment. After leaving the Navy, Shauna earned her Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience and Behavioral Studies from the University of Notre Dame.

Shauna attended the Humanities and Business Boot Camp with Warrior Scholar Project in 2021 at the University of Notre Dame. She then served as a STEM Fellow in 2022 and as a Lead STEM Fellow in 2024. She continued her involvement with Warrior Scholar Project by assisting with the training of STEM Fellows for the 2025 season.

She is currently pursuing her Doctor of Medicine at Indiana University School of Medicine–Evansville.