Christa Nelson brings over 20 years of experience as an educator, entrepreneur, and trauma-informed advocate. She currently serves as an Assistant Professor of Business and Marketing at Mount Mercy University, where she also acts as an academic advisor and curriculum coordinator for the Marketing and Sports Management programs.
A recipient of the iCOER Grant and a Corridor Business Journal Women of Influence award, Christa was recognized for her efforts to make the marketing degree program low- or no-cost beyond tuition—an initiative aimed at removing barriers to learning and creating more equitable, accessible classrooms.
Certified in both ATN’s Trauma-Informed Level 1 and in Resilience through Worldmaker International, Christa believes trauma-informed care belongs not just in homes and K–12, but in every learning space—including college classrooms, where many young adults are experiencing this support for the first time. Her work advocates for whole-campus transformation, helping institutions become safer, more inclusive, and healing-centered.
A longtime supporter of the ATN, Christa has spent nearly two decades volunteering, advocating, and amplifying the voices of those impacted by trauma. Her passion is rooted in both professional commitment and personal experience, including raising a son with sensory integration disorder. She joined the ATN Board to champion environments where healing and connection are possible—because healing is a journey, and thriving is the goal.
In addition to her academic work, Christa operates a marketing agency, a charming Airbnb (My Dream Love Shack), and an RV rental business. She holds an MBA and is active in her local community in Iowa as a member of Rotary International and a Red Coats Ambassador for the Marion Chamber of Commerce.
Christa finds daily inspiration in her role as a mother to three sons, grandmother to one, godmother to two, and the proud human to a spunky poodle who doubles as her “barketing assistant.”
