Dr. Shows graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi with a B.S. in Biochemistry; obtained her M.S. in Biometry and Human Genetics from the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans, LA; and obtained her Ph.D. in Vision Science from the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry. Dr. Shows began teaching chemistry labs as an undergrad at USM, which continued into her graduate studies as an adjunct professor of genetics at Marion College. After completing her doctoral thesis on gene regulation in retinitis pigmentosa, she began postdoctoral research on gene regulation of the craniofacial developmental disorder Treacher Collins syndrome at Virginia Commonwealth University as a Ruth Kirschstein NIH fellow with Rita Shiang. Upon completion of her postdoctoral fellowship, she began teaching full time as a lecturer of biology at Longwood University in Farmville VA, then John Tyler Community College in Chester VA. Dr. Shows is currently an instructor of biology at Virginia State University.