Shelley McKechnie lives in Asheville, NC. She's run three companies, held leadership positions in several others, led a global nonprofit organization, worked as a photojournalist, and has written more than 100 by-lined articles for national magazines. In partnership with a Gambian community organization, she started an entrepreneurship program for teen girls in West Africa that's still going strong and is now led by program graduates. Shelley holds an MBA from the University of Chicago and a BA in English from Cornell University. In 2015 she was selected for the inaugural class of Presidential Leadership Scholars, a joint initiative of the presidential libraries of Presidents George H. W. Bush, George W. Bush, William J. Clinton, and Lyndon Johnson. She enjoys long-distance bike riding and is working to expand the greenway network in North Carolina. Her favorite role is mom.
""While acknowledging the tragedy wrought by Hurricane Helene, Stronger than the Storm more often inspires us with these writers' sense of community, resilience, and hope. Shelley McKechnie is to be commended for the volume's significant contribution in helping our region begin to heal."" - Ron Rash Award-winning author of New York Times bestseller Serena and other critically acclaimed work and the Parris Distinguished Professor in Appalachian Cultural Studies at Western Carolina University