Shailene was born in Montreal, Quebec and spent her childhood in both Montreal and Toronto. She started acting in 2012 and made her film debut a year later in Matt Johnsons feature film, The Dirties. She has had supporting roles in several series including the Freeform fan-favorite Shadowhunters and the Netflix Original series Between. Shailene recently appeared in Amazons Tom Clancys Jack Ryan as Teresa Lowe, an American volunteer doctor who was held hostage by ISIS. 

Shailene has an extensive background in early childhood education. She worked in an elementary school in Quebec as an English teachers assistant-turned-teacher prior to being discovered by her first agent. 

Shailene is an avid traveller and her friends call her Carmen, named after the 1980s fictional character, Carmen San Diego.