Shelby Bordelon, from Sunshine, Louisiana, was crowned Miss Louisiana 2026 in Monroe, the home of the Miss Louisiana Organization. She is a graduate student at Southeastern Louisiana University pursuing a master's degree in Strategic Communication. Before earning the title of Miss Louisiana, Shelby served as Manager of Service for Corporate Partnerships in the Southeastern Louisiana University Athletic Department. She aspires to build a career in advertising, corporate communications, marketing, and nonprofit fundraising. Shelby's Community Service Initiative, Claire's Promise, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established to honor the life of her best friend, who was killed by an impaired driver. Through Claire's Promise, she partners with Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Louisiana to educate students and young adults about the dangers of impaired driving. Shelby is a 2024 Southeastern Louisiana University Student Hall of Fame inductee and a recipient of “The Heart of an Ambassador” award through the Coca-Cola Campus Ambassador Program.