Nelsen is an accomplished academic and industry leader in sales and marketing, with more than 10 years of teaching experience and 20 years of professional practice. She earned her undergraduate from St. Catherine University, MBA from Arizona State University's W.P. Carey School of Business, Ph.D. from Marquette University, and a graduate certificate in Integrated Marketing Communication from St. Catherine University. Nelsen creates and delivers curricula that foster student success in various formats. She is an active researcher in sales pedagogy, business ethics, social responsibility, and case research. She earned a Virtues and Vocations Fellowship from the University of Notre Dame's Center for Social Concerns, a Paul R. Lawrence Fellowship from the Case Research Foundation, and Emerging Scholar recognition from the Society for Business Ethics. She is also a past president of the Marketing Educators’ Association, where she contributed to advancing the field of marketing education.