Shelley Nolden, a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, attended the University of Minnesota before moving to New York City to pursue a career in finance. After five years in the city, she and her husband decided that city life was not for them and relocated to Ridgewood, New Jersey. In 2011, Nolden was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia, a devastating experience that was marked by the loss of her baby during the nineteenth week of pregnancy and a lengthy hospital stay. Throughout her illness, she maintained a cancer blog and contributed regularly to cancer-related publications. These experiences sparked a deep-seated desire in Nolden to help others affected by cancer, leading her to co-found GRYT Health, an organization dedicated to improving the quality of life and survival rate of cancer patients through a relentless focus on patient experience.
In addition to her work with GRYT Health, Nolden is also an advisor to Goal Five, a women's sports apparel company inspired by the United Nations' Fifth Sustainable Development Goal: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. This role is a natural extension of Nolden's passion for women's rights, which was ignited during her time as a college athlete and further fueled by her experiences as a woman in the male-dominated world of finance. Nolden's commitment to female empowerment extends beyond her professional life and into her personal life, as evidenced by the name of her family's dog, Storm, which was inspired by one of the most powerful and respected superheroes.
Nolden's debut novel, "The Vines," was released in March 2021 to critical acclaim. The historical fiction thriller was heavily influenced by Nolden's obsession with North Brother Island in New York City's East River, as well as her personal health history and passion for equality. "The Vines" has already received multiple awards, a testament to Nolden's storytelling abilities and her deep understanding of the themes that drive her writing. Currently, Nolden lives in the Midwest with her family and their dog Storm.