Sophia Nelson

Sophia A. Nelson is a force of nature—an award-winning author, journalist, businesswoman, and thought leader who has spent her career at the crossroads of law, politics, culture, and personal transformation. She is also the founder and chairman of The Redefining Freedom Center of Virginia, a bold and visionary 501(c)(3) dedicated to one of the most urgent missions of our time: to restore, reimagine, and expand the American promise of freedom for all. The Center’s work bridges racial, socio-economic, and cultural divides through dialogue, partnerships, programs, and non-political policy advocacy.

Rooted in Virginia—the birthplace of America in Jamestown, 1607—the Center’s vision is national, driven by the belief that our fractured nation can still heal if we dare to listen, learn, and lead with integrity. Sophia Nelson embodies that courage. She has lived through—and spoken out against—the polarizing forces that threaten to tear us apart, from "cancel culture" on Virginia's college campuses to the toxic tribalism infecting public discourse. She has faced these forces personally and emerged more determined than ever to call Americans back to a higher purpose: unity without conformity, freedom balanced by responsibility, and citizenship anchored in shared values.

A proud daughter of an Army NCO and a maternal grandfather who was also an NCO, Nelson was born in Munich, Germany, and raised in New Jersey. In 1983, she was selected as a Congressional intern, staying at Marymount College while working on Capitol Hill. She interned again in 1989 in the U.S. Senate before Virginia became her home once again in 1991-1994, where Nelson began her legal career at Washington & Lee University School of Law. She later completed her law degree at American University’s Washington College of Law in 1994. Nelson quickly rose to political prominence during President George H. W. Bush’s 1992 re-election campaign and became one of the youngest nominees for U.S. Congress in 1996 at age 28. She later served as investigative committee counsel on Capitol Hill, advised Fortune 100 companies through the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and worked as a lobbyist/lawyer at Holland & Knight LLP through 2009, when she left the practice of law and founded SAN Enterprises LLC, a certified MWBE boutique consulting and media firm. A company she still runs successfully to this day. 

Nelson eventually left the practice of law to pursue her passions for writing, corporate consulting, and leadership development—and she has never looked back. She now calls herself a "recovering attorney."

Nelson’s influence reaches far beyond politics and business. She is a global voice on leadership, diversity, women’s empowerment, and civic responsibility. Her acclaimed books—including Black Woman Redefined, The Woman Code, Be the One You Need, and E Pluribus One—have shaped conversations on race, gender, and national identity. Her commentary appears regularly in The Washington Post, CNN Opinion, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times. She is currently a columnist for Forbes and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and a familiar face on CNN, MSNBC, PBS, and other major networks.

A true Renaissance woman, Nelson plays both the acoustic guitar and drums and is a passionate percussionist. She lives in Virginia’s scenic wine country, where she created her own wine label, Wine for the Woman’s Soul—a reflection of her belief that personal well-being and soulful living are inseparable from public service.

Nelson’s third book, E Pluribus One, was a powerful call to heal the nation's wounds after the deeply divisive 2016 election. In it, she reminds Americans of our founding motto, e pluribus unum—out of many, one—and urges us to reclaim the vision of a united, resilient America. Nelson challenges us to remember that "we the people" are entrusted with safeguarding life, liberty, freedom, and equality, and that our leaders must embody morality, virtue, and patriotic service.

She has graced the cover of more than a dozen print and digital magazines and was named one of the world’s most influential women by the UK's The Guardian in 2018, when she spoke at Sydney’s famed Opera House during Women’s History Month.