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40 Over 40: Shelly's Story

Tuesday, July 29, 2025 | By: Colleen Neel Photography

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Shelly joins my 40/40 project as the youngest participant so far, celebrating her milestone 40th birthday this October. To honor the moment, she chose to step in front of the camera and celebrate her story, her stage of life, and everything that’s shaped her along the way.


Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Shelly is the middle child of three, with an older brother and a younger sister. She, her sister, and many family members live with von Willebrand disease, a hereditary bleeding disorder that has deeply shaped her health journey and inspired a lifelong passion for advocacy and helping others.

As a teenager, Shelly attended Camp Bold Eagle in Holton, MI, a summer camp for kids with bleeding disorders, and later returned as a counselor. That formative experience ignited a fire in her for advocacy, health education, and service that she’s carried through her life. Over the years, she has given her time and heart to numerous nonprofit organizations, including the Great Lakes Hemophilia Foundation, Wisconsin Bleeding Disorders Network, Hemophilia Federation of America, National Bleeding Disorders Foundation, and the World Federation of Hemophilia. Today, she serves on the National Bleeding Disorders Foundation’s Lived Experience Experts Research Advisory Council, helping ensure research reflects the real needs of those living with bleeding disorders by centering lived experience in how research is chosen, conducted, and shared.


Shelly studied Organizational Communication and Public Relations at the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse and has built a thriving career in Talent Development. She currently works as a Senior Training Specialist at HUB International, where she’s part of a company-wide software implementation project that has her traveling across the U.S. to train and support teams.

Learning and development also fuel her volunteer work. She serves as President-Elect of the Association for Talent Development’s Nashville Chapter, supporting talent development professionals throughout Middle Tennessee and beyond. Nationally, she also serves on ATD’s Chapter Recognition Committee, helping highlight and share best practices from ATD chapters across the country.

 


Shelly and her husband, Corey, originally from upstate New York, moved to Murfreesboro, Tennessee nine years ago. They share a love of travel and great food, and you’ll likely find them exploring the Nashville food scene (and reviewing it). They often plan their travel around culinary adventures (Her current local favorite? Peninsula in East Nashville—a modern French and Spanish fusion spot that she highly recommends!)

At home, Shelly and Corey have three senior rescue dogs—Traveler, Pickles, and Zoey—who range from small to large and bring a lot of fun to their lives. In her free time, Shelly enjoys reading, crafting, playing video games, binge-watching Netflix, and of course cooking.


And here’s a fun fact: she speaks French! It was her minor in college, and yes—she can confidently order off a French menu and know exactly what she is getting!

It was a true pleasure to photograph and get to know Shelly. She’s a kind, thoughtful soul with a heart for helping others—both human and canine—and I’m so grateful to have captured a bit of her light and warmth through my lens.

 


To learn more about the 40 Over 40 photo experience or headshots and branding shoots click on a button below. I would love to photograph you next and tell your story!


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