Holds a Masters degree in Economics from the American University in Cairo and a PhD in Economics from Cairo University.

Dr.Al Shamsi was a university professor at United Arab Emirates University (1990-1998) and Abu Dhabi University (2007-2008).Also, she had held several administrative positions within the university corps, including Assistant Director of the Basic University Education Center (currently the University Requirements Unit) at the United Arab Emirates University1990 to 1992. She was the Assistant Deputy Minister of Curricula and Educational Programs at the Ministry of Education and Youth from and from 1998 to 2006.

Dr. Al Shamsi had contributed in designing the Education Development Strategies and Projects in the UAE, both at the curricula, educational assessment and educational information systems levels and at the institutional and organizational structures levels. She had conducted several researches and studies in the fields of education development, economic development and the economic role of women. Since 2007,she had presided the Citizenship and Development Center for Researches and Consultations, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.