Sophia A. Nelson, Esq., is "redefining" the rules for 21st-century living and success.
The award-winning author, freelance journalist, MSNBC & TVOne political commentator is working to change the game for a new generation of women in academia, the workplace, interpersonal relationships, and overall personal development.
Prior to becoming a freelance journalist and columnist for Essence Magazine, The Washington Post Outlook, The Daily Beast, and NBC’s the Grio.com, Nelson served as the White House correspondent and a political columnist for JET magazine. Nelson has also served in several senior and executive positions within the government and corporate sector. Among her industry accomplishments, she worked as a senior committee staff counsel in the House of Representatives; served as a director of congressional and public affairs for the United States Chamber of Commerce; and as a senior counsel at the nationally ranked law firm of Holland & Knight LLP in 2004. Her practice group focused on developing emerging market defense intelligence and homeland security companies specializing in cyber security.
Nelson gave up her law practice in 2008 to become one of a handful of African American female journalist and media pundits to cover the historic 2008 Presidential campaign. Her July 2008 Washington Post Outlook column, titled “Black.Female.Accomplished. Attacked” defending First Lady Michelle Obama against attacks that she was an “angry black woman” and “unpatriotic” launched her career as an author, and national thought leader.
Nelson was inspired to write her award winning 2011 book “Black Woman Redefined: Dispelling Myths and Discovering Fulfillment in the age of Michelle Obama” and the updated Trade Paperback in 2012 as a tool for helping black women to better navigate their careers, lives, and relationships outside of damaging stereotypes and images about them. What she did not expect was the enormously positive response to the book from corporate diversity leaders, university officials, industry leaders, and Fortune 500 executives seeking to bring her in to share the findings of her book with their workforce and students respectively. Nelson has been a speaker for such corporations as NBC Universal/Comcast, Kimberly Clark, JC Penny, Land O Lakes, Credit Suisse (Wall Street), TimeWarner, WICT (Women in Telecommunications & Technology), Integris Health, Oracle, Booz Allen Hamilton, and many more. She has also spoken at some of the nation’s most prestigious public and private universities, law firms as well as national organizations such as the National Urban League, Essence Jazz Festival, HBCUs, CBCF, Inc., Jack & Jill of America, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and more. To book her for a speaking engagement contact APB Speaker’s Bureau in Boston, MA. http://www.apbspeakers.com/speaker/sophia-a-nelson
Sophia Nelson earned her bachelor’s degree in political science from San Diego State University. She earned her juris doctorate degree from American University-Washington College of Law. She is admitted to practice law in New Jersey, Washington, DC, and before the United States Supreme Court. Nelson is also a proud and active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Nelson has captivated the public’s interest and has been featured on CNN, MSNBC, "Tom Joyner Morning Show," "Michael Baisden Show," FOX, and World News with Diane Sawyer-ABC. She has also been the subject of feature stories in The Philadelphia Inquirer, Washington Post, USA Today, Essence magazine, and Solo Woman magazine to name a few.
