Shirley is an award-winning author of over 12 books on fitness and wellness, a media spokesperson, magazine columnist, international lecturer, and respected multi-platform communicator. She promotes physical, mental, and spiritual health and well-being for people of all ages and abilities by providing motivating and easy to use self-care products and services that are available worldwide. Her books are translated into 8 languages. She’s appeared on TV and radio worldwide and was a featured trainer on season 7 of America’s Next Top Model.
She served as a health and wellness educator, program developer, and fitness trainer at the Health Improvement Program at the Stanford Prevention Research Center at Stanford University School of Medicine from 1992 to 2006. She also served as Associate Director of the Health Promotion Resource Center. A Eurasian-American with a mother from Japan and father from New England, she received her B.A. with honors in American Studies from Stanford University, her M.A. in Regional Studies – East Asia from Harvard University, and her law degree from Georgetown University Law Center. She practiced law in New York City and Washington, D.C. and was also licensed in California. After recovering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, she dedicated herself to health promotion.
She is a certified yoga and Pilates trainer, indoor cycling instructor, wellness coach, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program instructor, an American College of Sports Medicine certified health fitness specialist, National Strength & Conditioning Association certified personal trainer, and an American Council on Exercise certified group fitness instructor. She lives in Los Angeles, California and Zurich, Switzerland.