Shayda was born and raised in Gig Harbor, Washington, a small town built around its harbor, less than an hour from Seattle. Homes in Gig Harbor are built around the water, and practically all the residents have a boating license. Instead of biking or walking to friends' houses growing up, Shayda boated to them. She moved to Arizona to attend ASU and has called the Valley home ever since.

Before joining The Kay-Grant Group as the office manager, Shayda worked as an executive assistant and project manager for a multifamily real estate developer. She ran social media and managed long-term rental properties and Airbnbs. However, her role didn't stop there. She also oversaw vendor relationships, handled invoicing, and represented projects to the city of Mesa. A large part of her role involved writing site proposals and leading due diligence with contractors, engineers, architects, and developers in commercial real estate.

Shayda also worked with an AI startup building compliance tools for third-party administrators in the financial sector. She handled security compliance and the legal side of government mandates, including due diligence around software security breaches.

She spent years in competitive improv. She learned to read a room, a skill that has stayed useful throughout her professional life. She was also a competitive gymnast growing up, and in fifth grade she took the lead role in her school musical.

Shayda's parents have always been supportive. After her lead in the school musical, she set her sights higher. She told her father she wanted to be on America's Got Talent, and he made sure it happened. For her audition, she sang Justin Bieber's "Stuck in the Moment." The callback didn’t come, but it was an experience she’ll never forget.

When she isn't in the office, Shayda is usually outside. An early riser by nature, she's often hiking Papago Park by 5 a.m. She also loves Pilates and never misses a chance to travel to a music festival. Her two favorite festivals are Coachella and FORM at Arcosanti.