A native of Glasgow, Scotland, Derek Shea earned a bachelor's degree in sociology while attening North Adadms State College, where he also played Varsity soccer. Shea went on to earn a master's in education from the University of Massachusetts and has worked at several local schools. In 2014 Shea was named Principal at Amherst's Crocker Farm Elementary School after previously serving as both an assistant and co-principal at the school. In his free time, he is also an assistant coach for the Amherst men's soccer team.