Nicole Ann Shanahan, born on September 26, 1985, is a billionaire attorney and technologist. Raised in Oakland, California, by a single mother—a Chinese immigrant from Xi'an who worked as a nurse's assistant—and a father of Irish and German descent who struggled with drug addiction, she attended public schools and worked from a young age as a waitress and grocery clerk to support her family. Fluent in Mandarin, she earned a Bachelor of Science in Asian Studies from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2007 and a Juris Doctor from Santa Clara University School of Law in 2014, after working as a legal assistant and software engineer. In 2010, Shanahan founded ClearAccessIP, a firm specializing in patent review and monetization using AI technology. In 2019, she established the Bia-Echo Foundation, focusing on philanthropy in maternal and child health, microbiome research, criminal justice reform, journalism, regenerative agriculture, and women's health. Shanahan’s wealth comes from her business ventures and her marriage to Google co-founder Sergey Brin (2014–2023), enabling significant donations, including millions to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s campaigns; she served as his running mate in the 2024 presidential campaign. She has been involved in controversies, including denied allegations of an affair with Elon Musk contributing to her divorce and criticism for funding RFK Jr.'s politically unconventional campaign amid claims of spreading misinformation, as well as scrutiny over her associations and political influence. Additionally, Shanahan is a patron of the arts.