[1] Nelson was born in Buffalo, New York and graduated from Oberlin College with a Bachelor of Arts degree with high honors in 1974 and received her Juris Doctor from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.

Between January and June 1975 she worked was a waitress at Stouffers Restaurant and later at the Pittsburgh YMCA as a camp counselor for the summer.

[3] Nelson's first professional employment was an unpaid internship with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and then as a summer associate with the law firm of Reed, Smith, Shaw & McClay in Pittsburgh from 1977 through 1980.

From 1984 to 2000 Nelson worked as an associate (promoted to partner in 1988) with the law firm of Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.

[3] Nelson was appointed as United States magistrate judge for the District of Minnesota, and took the oath of office on June 12, 2000.