Shay Martin, 29
Founder | Rebels Against Cancer 501c3, Tanner and Shay LLC
Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist | Monarch Family Counseling
What are you most proud of in your career thus far?
I am most proud of transforming personal loss into purpose through my work as a therapist, advocate, and nonprofit founder. As a Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist, I’ve dedicated my career to creating spaces of authenticity and healing for individuals, couples and families navigating grief, trauma and relational wounds. My approach blends clinical skill with genuine human connection, helping clients feel seen, safe and empowered to write new stories of resilience.
After my husband was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer, I co-founded Rebels Against Cancer, a nonprofit that helps terminally ill individuals and their families make meaningful memories together. What began as our family’s way of finding light in impossible circumstances has grown into a community of hope, offering memory-making grants, grief resources and advocacy for young adults facing serious illness.
Through storytelling and education, I’ve also used social media to reach millions worldwide, normalizing therapy, inspiring compassion and helping others feel less alone in grief and healing. My proudest achievement isn’t the number of followers, but it’s every message from someone who says, “Because of your story, I had the courage to keep going.”
Was there a pivotal moment in your life that brought you to where you are today?
The most pivotal moment in my life came when my husband was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer shortly after our second wedding anniversary. In that instant, every plan we had for our future changed. I went from newlywed to caregiver, from building a life to fighting to preserve it. Walking through cancer and eventually grief reshaped how I see people, pain and purpose. It taught me that healing isn’t about “fixing” what’s broken; it’s about finding meaning and connection in the midst of it. That season of heartbreak became the foundation of everything I do now — helping others find hope, belonging, and courage to keep going, even when life doesn’t go as planned.
