Shkurte is a first-year doctoral student in Piano Performance, Pedagogy, and Literature at James Madison University. Originally from Kosovo, she holds a Bachelor's and a Master's degree in Piano Performance from the University of Prishtina, as well as a Master of Music in Piano Performance from James Madison University. Her academic interests include piano performance, music education for children with disabilities, and cultural identity.

Shkurte is also a first-year Research and Scholarship Fellow at REDI. She enjoys helping faculty find the right funding opportunities to bring their research ideas to life and is excited to continue learning and growing in this role.