CHELSEA LAWSON

A natural connector and communicator, Chelsea has long been fascinated by what drives people: their personalities, motivations, and the ways they show up in the world. As the Business Development Director at Cramer Children’s Advocacy Center, Chelsea works to amplify the voices of children who have experienced abuse and violence. But her passion for understanding people reaches far beyond her day job. It’s a thread that has shaped her career, her risks, and her voice.

Before joining Cramer, Chelsea spent six years at the Shoals Chamber of Commerce, leading the Leadership Shoals and Youth Leadership Shoals programs. In 2020, in the middle of a global pandemic, she took an even bigger leap: running for mayor of Muscle Shoals to champion new ideas around business, culture, and community growth. Because for Chelsea, growth doesn’t happen inside comfort zones.

That same curiosity led her to co-found the Shoals Poverty Simulation, giving community leaders a raw, first-hand look at life below the poverty line. Again and again, her work centers on one belief: when people understand each other better, they lead better, connect deeper, and create real change. She has served on the boards of One Place of the Shoals, Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful, and Keep the Shoals Beautiful.

She holds a degree in Professional Writing and Marketing from the University of North Alabama and a certificate in Product Marketing Strategy from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

When she’s not working, Chelsea is most at home with her two favorite humans: her husband, Doug, and daughter, Adele. You might find her wandering a nature trail, pausing to spot birds, or deep into a documentary about how people think—because she’s always chasing that next “aha” about what makes us human. And when it’s time to unwind, she happily trades deep thoughts for tiny bricks as a proud LEGO enthusiast.