[3] Nelson is author of the Strong Women book series, which includes 10 titles, five of which became New York Times bestsellers.
Throughout her youth, Nelson was an avid horseback rider, competing at the national level in Three-Day Equestrian events.
Nelson’s research on the effects of nutrition and strength training on bone health in older adults[7][8][9][10] provided the evidence for her Strong Women book series.
[12][13] In 2008 she served as the vice-chair of the Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee for the US Department of Health and Human Services.
On January 15, 2019, Nelson and the Board of Trustees announced that due to financial instability the college was planning to seek a strategic partner to ensure long-term sustainability.
[4] Nelson is the author of the ten books in the Strong Women series, including five New York Times bestsellers.
[16] Nelson’s co-authors on the books include Dr. Ronenn Roubenoff, Dr. Kristin Baker, Dr. Alice H. Lichtenstein, Larry Lindner, Sarah Wernick, Judy Knipe, and Jennifer Ackerman.