Sharkila is originally from Kuala Kangsar in Perak.  She attended Leeds University in the UK, gaining her BA Hons in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL).  In 1989, she began her career as an English teacher in Malaysia and was the Head of English until 2003. She completed her MA in TESOL at Auckland University in New Zealand. In 2004, she became the Whole School EAL Coordinator at Saint Maur International School in Yokohama, Japan until 2021. She returned to Malaysia to teach Literacy Support / SEN and EAL at AISM, Selangor. She has many interests, including outdoor activities, scrabble and word puzzles.  Sharkila is moving to Johor with her husband, Gareth and son Max.