SHELLY BOYUM-BREEN

Author and Creator

A children’s book author and entrepreneur, Shelly Boyum-Breen is no stranger to perseverance. She is a staunch advocate for equity in sports, a trauma survivor and on a mission to help all children feel seen.  A native of Brainerd, MN, Shelly grew up with aspirations of playing professional sports.  She spent countless hours on the basketball court, neighborhood hockey rinks and local golf courses. With a B.A. in Physical Education and an M.S. in Leadership, she started out teaching and coached college and high school basketball and tennis.  She then worked with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx organization and later moved into a sales consulting role for the WNBA including the 10th Anniversary WNBA All-Star Game at Madison Square Garden.

Before writing the Shelly Bean the Sports Queen series, she founded the Let Me Play grants supporting Minnesota girls’ participation in sports and fitness.  “Sports helped pave my path in life, building my character as well as my leadership skills along the way.  No young lady should be prevented from experiencing these things because of her family’s financial situation.  It is my dream to eliminate cost as an obstacle and give girls and boys a strong, athletic, female role model.  With Shelly Bean books and Let Me Play grants, we can do just that! It is an honor to work for girls in sports; and to continue the work that many have done long before me.”