Steve attended Armstrong State College, now known as Georgia Southern University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.). He has a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from Georgia State University. Steve is a former Board Member of local organizations including Pride Rings in Stone Mountain (PRISM), Clarkson Community Center, and the Giving Tree, an adoption resource agency. He is also a member of the National Council of Negro Women (DeKalb Section), DeKalb NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People), and 100 Black Men of DeKalb County. He has lived in DeKalb County with his wife for more than three decades.

Steve has a military background as a former officer in the United States Army. He was trained as a tank commander and attained the rank of Captain. He also has 15 years of experience in business development and operations management, working for organizations such as Spherion, Briggs Equipment, and Delta Global Staffing. He has served as a leadership instructor at the Army Officer Candidate School and lectured at Georgia State University's School of Policy Studies as an adjunct professor.

Steve Bradshaw has served as the DeKalb County District 4 Commissioner since 2017. He has been unanimously elected as Presiding Officer of the Board of Commissioners in 2020 and 2021 and as Deputy Presiding Officer in 2018 and 2019. He is a member of the National Association of Counties Veteran and Military Services Committee and serves as Vice Chair on the DeKalb County Board of Health.