shelley ball BA (Hons), JD

“You can expect fairness, dignity, and transparency about the investigation process.”

Shelley is a lawyer with 20 years of legal and investigation experience in government oversight, independent provincial offices, post-secondary, regulation, and union environments.

She is appointed under a provincial collective agreement as the investigator for sexual harassment complaints, and is an appointed member of the Health Professions Review Board of British Columbia and Patient Care Quality Review Board of British Columbia. She instructs in regulation and occupational health and safety, in investigations, sexual misconduct, and trauma-informed approaches.

Shelley is often invited to speak about sexual misconduct, investigations, empathic and trauma-informed practices, as well as risks associated with complaints, and prevention. She is a pro-bono advisor for national and international organizations.

Over the course of her career, she has directed, overseen, and conducted investigations involving:

  • sexual misconduct

  • discrimination

  • bullying

  • systemic and oversight investigation of child deaths and injuries

  • human remains identification

  • financial regulation

Shelley has made recommendations for workplace as well as systemic policy and legislative change. Her experience includes senior roles in regulation and oversight, as a director of investigations, litigator, as well as certification and experience as a restorative justice facilitator.

presentations, public reports and content creation

“Organizational Wellbeing in High-Trauma Environments: a trauma-informed framework to protect the protectors” white paper author, in partnership with the Healthcare Regulatory Research Institute (HRRI) 2026 Download PDF

“Trauma-informed Sexual Misconduct Complaint Processes in Medical Regulation” Poster presentation, International Association of Medical Regulatory Authorities (IAMRA), Dublin, Ireland (2025)

“How to care for the team that deals with traumatic matters” Master Class Workshop presentation, Canadian Network of Agencies for Regulation (CNAR), Ottawa, Ontario (2024)

“Trauma-informed training” BC College of Oral Health Professionals (BCCOHP), Vancouver BC (2024)

“Leading with Dignity: Trauma-informed policy in sexual misconduct and humanitarian investigations” International Academy of Law and Mental Health (IALMH), Barcelona, Spain (2024)

“I came in like a Wrecking Ball...the costs and consequences of being a bully leader” IALMH, Barcelona, Spain (2024)

“Legal Issues of misconduct in healthcare” University at Sea and Continuing Education Inc. (2024)

“Walking the regulatory tightrope: being fair to all parties in sexual misconduct complaints”Council on Licensure Enforcement and Regulation (CLEAR) Annual Education Conference, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA (2023)

“Trauma-informed training” Inquiry Committee, BCCOHP, Vancouver, BC (2022)

“Fundamentals of Regulation Workshop: Complaints, Investigations, Discipline and Fitness to Practice” CNAR, Charlottetown, PEI (2022)

“Achieving regulatory excellence through understanding vulnerability and leading with compassion in oral health regulation” IALMH, Lyon, France (2022)

“Trauma-informed Decision-making”Discipline Committee, College of Dental Surgeons of British Columbia (CDSBC) (2022)

“Trauma-informed Approaches in Sexual Misconduct Investigations” Investigations team, CDSBC (2021)

“The UBC Investigations Office” multiple presentations to the Committee of Deans, Associate Deans Committee, Faculty of Medicine (2020-21)

“The UBC Investigations Office”, Informational video (co-creator) (2021) (YouTube)

“The Evolution of Institutional Responsiveness in Sexual Misconduct Investigations at the University of British Columbia: A Transformative Approach to Sexual Misconduct on Campus” (Panel lead) UBC’s Investigations Office, IALMH Rome, Italy (2019)

“Procedural Fairness and Sexual Misconduct Investigations in a Civil Context” (co-author), IALMH Rome, Italy (2019)

Shelley has also been the lead and senior investigator on several publicly released investigation reports issued by an Independent Officer of the British Columbia Legislature:

  • “Approach with Caution: why the story of one vulnerable youth can’t be told” (2015)

  • “Children at Risk: the case for a better response to parental addiction”(2013)

  • “Honouring Kaitlynne, Max and Cordon: Make their voices heard now” (2012)

  • “So Many Plans, So Little Stability: A child’s need for security”(2011)

  • “Fragile Lives, Fragmented Systems: Strengthening supports for vulnerable infants”(2011)

  • “Housing, Help and Hope: A better path for struggling families”(2011)