Jess Weiner

Jess Weiner is this generation’s “Go-to Girl” for self-esteem! Whether she is hosting a seminar for mothers and daughters on today's pressure to be beautiful, writing her monthly body image column for Seventeen magazine, or working with celebrities such as Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, and Jennifer Lopez to spread the message of self-esteem, Jess is motivating the women and girls of America to develop self-confidence, self-knowledge, and self-acceptance! Jess understands the issues facing young women today because she has lived through trauma and drama herself, spending her teenage years struggling with eating disorders and low self-esteem, before finally starting along the path to recovery in college. She has chronicled her own self-discovery and ultimate recovery from her disorders in her first book, A Very Hungry Girl.

Jess tapped into her desire to create social change as a student at Penn State University where she received a BA in Theatre Arts with minors in Women Studies and Classics. Jess was a founding member of the University Park Ensemble. The UPE (as it was called) used social, health and educational theatre to create social action and campus awareness on such topics as body image, eating disorders, date rape and sexual assault, hate crimes, diversity issues, and domestic violence.

Jess started her first business at the age of 21 when she founded the ACT Out Ensemble, a national touring theater company based in Indianapolis. She has authored numerous social issue plays and her creative gifts of combining art and dialogue have been used to fuse the gap between healing and action in high profile crisis hotbeds such as Columbine High School following the massacre in 1999.

Having spent over 14 years on the road listening to the real life issues of women and girls, Jess has been called upon as a trusted advisor, mentor, and role model for mothers and daughters. Knowing first hand that many women have a conflicted relationship with their body and self-esteem, Jess was inspired to write her second book, Life Doesn’t Begin 5 Pounds From Now. Jess helps readers decode the 'language of fat' and explore how body image controls the way women think about their health, wealth, family, career, and relationships. Jess is now the Chief Creative Officer for Talk to Jess, LLC, a media company dedicated to creating a nation of confident women and girls. She also serves as the Global Ambassador for the Dove Self-Esteem Fund, and plays a vital role in Dove’s global campaigns throughout North America and Canada, while also contributing a featured column to the Dove Digital Channel on MSN. Luckily for women everywhere, Jess’s message reaches millions of women and girls worldwide each and every month!

Working as a frequent contributor to such shows as The Today Show, CNN Showbiz Tonight, and The Tyra Banks Show, Jess offers advice on topics ranging from body image to relationships, friendships, family issues and media pop culture. Her unique story and prestigious career have been featured by countless media outlets including, The View, The Washington Post, Oprah, and The New York Times.

To honor those people who choose to make a difference in the everyday lives of others, Jess has coined the term Actionist™. She is proud to be affiliated with a multitude of grass roots groups and non-profits around the country who are all committed to transforming the self-esteem of women. Jess has been blessed to share her message of action as a speaker at the nation’s most prestigious institutes, Fortune 500 corporations, and universities. However, out of all the accolades and accomplishments, Jess will tell you that she is most proud of her role as a daughter, a big sister, a best friend, and an authentic role model.

Alyse Nelson

Alyse Nelson is President and Chief Executive Officer of Vital Voices Global Partnership. A co founder of Vital Voices, Ms. Nelson has worked for the organization for twelve years, serving as Vice President and Senior Director of Programs before assuming her current role. She has worked with women leaders to develop training programs and international forums in over 120 countries and has interviewed more than 200 international leaders.

Prior to Ms. Nelson’s work with VVGP, she served as Deputy Director of the Vital Voices Global Democracy Initiative at the U.S. Department of State. Her position aided Former First Lady Hillary Clinton and Secretary of State Madeleine Albright’s commitment to promote the advancement of women as a U.S. foreign policy objective. Ms. Nelson helped design, coordinate, and implement Vital Voices conferences, projects and initiatives throughout the world.

Ms. Nelson worked with the President’s Interagency Council on Women at the White House and U.S. Department of State from July 1996 to July 2000. She attended to UN Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China in 1995 and has served as an advisor to the US Delegation to the UN Commission on the Status of Women.

She completed her graduate degree work at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and she is a Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations. She serves as a Board Member of Running Start, which helps young women and girls in the United States get involved in politics and their communities.

In 2006, she was named one of “Ten Women to Watch” by the Washingtonian Magazine, and in 2007, she was honored by Emerson College with the Distinguished Leader Award.

Jessica Mendoza

Women's Sports Foundation President Jessica Mendoza is also an ESPN color analyst during the Women's College World Series, athletic ambassador for Team Darfur and a board member of the National Education Association Foundation. Currently a member of the ProFastpitch X-Treme Tour, she was voted Women's Sports Foundation Sportswoman of the Year in 2008. In September 2007, Mendoza was officially named to the U.S. Olympic softball team, which captured silver at the 2008 Games.

In July 2007, the U.S. team went undefeated, taking home its sixth consecutive Pan American gold medal. For the second consecutive year, the U.S. team captured the World Cup championship. The team was also victorious at the 2007 Canada Cup. Mendoza was named 2006 USA Softball Female Athlete of the Year, as she led the United States to its first gold medal at the World Cup of Softball with three home runs, 16 RBI and a 1.167 slugging percentage. She also led the team to the International Softball Federation (ISF) World Championship title in Beijing with five home runs, 16 RBI and a slugging percentage of .969. That same year, she was inducted into the International Latin Sports Hall of Fame.

In 2005, she captured the International Sports Invitational Championship as a member of the U.S. women's softball team and became a member of the National ProFastpitch's Arizona Heat, making the all-star team. Mendoza made her first Olympic appearance as a member of the gold-medal-winning U.S. women's softball team in 2004. At the 2003 Pan American Games, she and her team also won a gold medal. She was Stanford University's leader in hits (83), home runs (14), runs scored (70), slugging percentage (.737) and total bases (151).

In 2002, Mendoza was a 2002 ISF world champion, was one of the top 25 selections for the 2002 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, and was named a National Fastpitch Coaches Association/Louisville Slugger first-team All-American for the fourth time. In her final season, she was one of three Stanford seniors named to the 2002 Division I All-Pacific Region squad. She garnered first-team All-Pac-10 accolades for four years straight and led the Cardinal team to its first Women's College World Series appearance in her junior year. During her sophomore season, Mendoza was named the Pac-10 Player of the Year, making her the first Stanford athlete to achieve this feat. As a freshman, she was named the Pac-10 Newcomer of the Year. That season she shattered the school's single-season records for home runs, batting average, hits and doubles.

Mendoza graduated in the spring of 2002 with a degree in American studies and a master's degree in social sciences in education. She is featured in the Women's Sports Foundation's GoGirlGo! educational curriculum.

Jennifer Ashton

Jennifer Ashton, M.D., Ob-Gyn is a board-certified ob-gyn who specializes in adolescent gynecology. As CBS News Medical Correspondent, she regularly contributes to The Early Show and CBS Evening News with Katie Couric. She has also been featured on such broadcast venues as XM Radio’s Oprah and Friends. She lives and practices in Englewood, New Jersey. Her book, THE BODY SCOOP FOR GIRLS: A Straight Talk Guide to a Healthy, Beautiful You, published by Avery, a member of Penguin Group, USA, will be available January 2010.

Sally Lee

Sally Lee is the Senior Vice President—New York Editorial Director for Meredith Corporation, responsible for managing the editorial leadership of Meredith’s key New York–based magazine brands. Sally oversees the editorial direction of Family Circle, Ladies’ Home Journal, Fitness, American Baby, Parents, Siempre Mujer, and Ser Padres magazines.

In addition to serving as Meredith’s New York Editorial Director, Sally is also the Editor-in-Chief of Ladies’ Home Journal magazine.

Sally has had a long and successful career in women’s magazines. Before joining Ladies’ Home Journal, she was the editorial director of Parents. She has also served as editor-in-chief at Fitness and YM, and held top editorial positions at Redbook and Woman’s Day.

Sally’s commitment extends beyond the pages of the magazine. She plays an active role in many charities, specifically CARE — a humanitarian organization dedicated to eliminating world poverty through the education of women. She has made frequent appearances on the Today Show, Live With Regis and Kelly, CNN’s Headline News, Good Morning America, and Nightline.

She graduated from Durham University, in England, and received her master’s degree from Clark University, in Worcester, Massachusetts. She lives in Westchester, New York, and is the mother of two girls.

Meeri Park Cunniff

Meeri Park Cunniff is the Vice President of Programming for TeenNick. She oversees the day-to-day operations of programming, scheduling, and media planning for the network across multiple platforms, including the TV channel, broadband video player, video-on-demand, wireless and downloadable services.

Most recently, Cunniff served as Executive Director of Programming for Noggin and TeenNick where she was responsible for managing all aspects of programming and scheduling for both networks. During her tenure, Cunniff helped grow key franchises like Degrassi: The Next Generation into ratings successes and helped guide the networks through multiple years of double-digit ratings growth.

Cunniff joined Noggin in 1998 from Sesame Workshop where she worked in production, overseeing children’s casting and wrangling child talent on Sesame Street. Prior to that, she produced cooking shows at Food Network, where she also launched the network’s first web site.

Cunniff is a graduate of Northwestern University where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and Communications. She also holds a Master’s Degree in Education from Harvard University. She resides in New York City with her husband, Steve, and their daughter, Madeline.

Debra Moffitt

Debra Moffitt is the Kids' Editor at KidsHealth.org, a nonprofit children's health website that receives more than 140 million visitors each year. She wrote The Pink Locker Society in response to thousands of emails she received from tween girls. Most of them wrote in with questions about three topics: periods, bras, and boys. (In the book, the 8th grade characters call them the PBBs.) The Pink Locker Society gives girls the information they're looking for and helps them feel more optimistic about growing up.

Since its launch in April, the Pink Locker Society website (www.pinklockersociety.org) has received more than 12,000 additional questions from girls and more than 1,000 comments have been posted to the Pink Locker Society blog, which Moffitt moderates. A sequel is now in the works. Before joining KidsHealth in 2002, Moffitt was a newspaper reporter and online editor. A graduate of the University of Maryland, she lives in Delaware with her husband and three sons, ages 13, 11, and 3.

Cordy Galligan

Cordy Galligan is the Director of Corporate Relationships of AAUW. Ms. Galligan has a 20 year history of fundraising in the non-profit arena and has served on many committees and boards in the area. Her early years in the finance and staffing industry proved invaluable for her work today in that they afforded valuable inside knowledge on women’s compensation issues.

Nationally, AAUW is the leading nonprofit association supporting graduate education for women, providing millions in fellowships and grants annually. And, more than 1,000 AAUW branches nationwide devote much of their fundraising activities – more than $4 million at the local level -- to support undergraduate scholarships within their own communities.

AAUW also exercises its power with Congress, where AAUW’s visibility, expertise and credibility give the organization significant influence on issues important to women – pay equity, education, Title IX, civil rights, social security, FMLA, taxes and more. Most recently, AAUW has been vitally instrumental in bringing about the passage of the Lilly Ledbetter Act, the first act signed by President Obama upon taking office. In addition, AAUW’s research supports their policy work. Recent cutting edge research focusing on gender equity include: Where the Girls Are: The Facts About Gender Equity in Education (2008); Gains in Learning, Gaps in Earning (2008); Behind the Pay Gap (2007); and Drawing the Line: Sexual Harassment on Campus (2006).

Colonel Catherine Ellen Abbott

Division Chief, Media Relations, Army Public Affairs

Colonel Catherine Ellen Abbott is a native of Trenton, New Jersey. She graduated from La Salle University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and received a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Adjutant General Corps in 1980. She has a masters degree in communications from the University of Oklahoma and a masters of strategic studies from the Army War College.

Throughout her career, Colonel Abbott has served in a variety of personnel and public affairs assignments. She was first assigned to the 259th Personnel Services Company in Bamberg, Germany where she served as the Chief of Personnel Actions, Chief of the Officer Personnel Division and the Company Executive Officer sequentially from July 1980 through July 1983. Upon her return to CONUS and after the AG Advanced Course, she served as a Readiness Group Adviser at Fort Sill, Oklahoma from June 1984 through September 1987. She was then reassigned to the National Capital Region where she served as the Administrative Officer for the Army Broadcasting Service, Alexandria, Virginia; a Public Affairs Officer for the Military District of Washington, the Chief of the Personnel Service Center for the Military District of Washington, and Commander, HHC, U.S. Army Garrison, Fort Myer. During this assignment she was deployed to CENTCOM Headquarters and served as the Public Affairs Officer to General Schwarzkopf.

Colonel Abbott’s other public affairs assignments include PAO, USAG Hawaii and the 25th Infantry Division; Desk Officer and Deputy Director of the Press Office, DoD Public Affairs; Special Adviser for Public Affairs and Public Information Officer for the Supreme Allied Command Europe and Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe; Military Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs; Deputy Director of the Counter Terrorism Communication Center; and Director of the Media Relations Division for Army Public Affairs. As a senior personnel officer, she also served as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel for the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk.

Colonel Abbott’s military schools include the Army War College, the Army Command and General Staff College, the Public Affairs Officer Course, the Combined Arms Services Staff School, the Adjutant General Officer Basic and Advance Courses.

Brandi Chastain

I have been playing on teams for almost 34 years, but it feels like yesterday. I have always loved what sports did for me internally, but also how it made me feel physically. I have played on little teams and big teams, but no matter what team I played on, I always played the same way, as if it always matter. My earliest memories of sports and my dreams in relations to them are still clear in my mind. One, I thought I would be on the line for the Pittsburgh Steelers. My godfather was an old time football player, when leather helmets were the norm and I think that is where I got my love of the Gold and Black. Then, one day I was at a friends sitting in front of the TV and I saw the US Men’s Hockey team play the Russians in the semi-final game of the Olympics. When they won that game, their pride, passion, excitement and joy surged through me. I knew I wanted to be in the Olympics, only the thing I loved didn’t exist in that space. So as quickly as that game came, the idea of being a professional and Olympian did. I just kept hitting homers from my friends driveway left or right handed, playing with the boys in street football, and playing soccer like nothing ever happened. And for me, that is one aspect of what was the most important part of being a professional. That what we do is a game, but the lessons for the players and fans were about life.

I faced the “no you can’t” only once in my life and when the boys stood up to the coach of the supposedly co-ed team in junior high, I knew that sport made me powerful, and that I wasn’t in competition with my teammates. Having those boys as allies gave me the green light to push forward. I never again would be afraid or question my reason or love for what I was doing in sport, even when it was rough. Earning medals, and championships has been an amazing journey (athletically and personally) but it pales to the impact I feel I am having as a mother and founder of a non-profit that benefits young girls. I now realize that every experience we have builds us up for our next challenge and that is what Brandi’s World will do for me and the girls we will have the luxury to reach everyday.

Angela Hucles, Soccer

Angela Hucles, a member of the 2009 Women's Sports Foundation Athlete Advisory Panel, was a significant contributor to the U.S. women's soccer team’s Algarve Cup silver medal in March of 2009. In addition, Hucles led the U.S. national team in goals scored during the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, helping her team win back-to-back gold medals. In the Olympic tournament, she netted a goal against New Zealand; two goals in the team's 4-2 win over Japan and another to help the Americans defeat Canada. Hucles finished the tournament just one goal shy of the overall scoring title. Hucles, a midfielder, currently competes with the U.S. national team that has captured three Four Nations Tournament championships and two World Cup medals. She was also a member of the 2004 Olympic gold-medal-winning women's soccer team.

Hucles made her mark in the soccer world when she became the all-time leader in goals scored in high school (Norfolk Academy, 204), as well as in college (the University of Virginia, 59). While at Virginia she held records in game-winning goals (19) and total career points (138). Hucles continued her success by being selected as a four-year all-conference player, Mid-Atlantic All-Star two years running, first-team Atlantic Coast Conference All-Star and a National Soccer Coaches Association of America second-team All-American. Hucles, drafted by the Boston Breakers in the Women's United Soccer Association in 2001, has also played professionally with the W-League's Hampton Roads Piranhas and Boston Renegades. Hucles served on the inaugural 2008 Women's Sports Foundation Athlete Advisory Panel, and currently plays with the Boston Breakers as a member of the Women's Professional Soccer league.

Grete Eliassen, Skiing

Champion freestyle skier Grete Eliassen, who turned pro at age 17, specializes in big mountain, slopestyle and halfpipe events. Born in the American Midwest, she moved to Norway at the age of 13 and joined the Norwegian National Racing Ski Team. The back-to-back X Games gold medalist in halfpipe (2005-2006), earned the silver medal at the 2009 Winter X Games in the first ever Ski Slopestyle event for women. 

She is also a four-time U.S. Freeskiing Open slopestyle champion. Eliassen’s other gold-medal performances include: Nippon Freeskiing Open, Jon Olsson Invitational, Overall Rip Curl Freeski Event, Gravity Games Rail Jam, Jibbasic Pro Invite Rail Jam, Jabra Rail Jam and the Snowjam International Competition. She also medaled at the 2009 Winter Dew Tour (silver), 2007 Winter X Games halfpipe competition (silver), 2005 Federation Internationale de Ski World Halfpipe Championships (bronze) and the Gravity Games halfpipe competition (bronze).

A resident of Salt Lake City, UT, this University of Utah student and media darling has been seen on ESPN, OLN, CBS and in Freeze, Freeskiier, Powder, Ski Racing and Skiing magazines. In addition, Eliassen was named the 2007 Ullr Girl of the Year.

Lyn-z Adams Hawkins, Skateboarding

Lyn-z Adams Hawkins has earned seven Summer X Games medals, three gold medals, including one in 2009, three silver medals and one bronze medal. Hawkins is the 2009 ISF World Skateboarding Champion in the women’s vert competition. The groundbreaking skater took the bronze medal at the Gravity Games and became the first woman to both do a Kick-Flip-Indy on the vertical ramp and to air the 60-foot gap of the Mega Ramp.

At age 12, Hawkins entered her first professional contest, the Slam City Jam in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. As the only girl character in the Tony Hawk’s Project 8 video game, Hawkins has earned numerous podium finishes competing in more than 30 tournaments in the men’s and women’s categories.

Ashley Fiolek, Motocross

Ashley Fiolek, 18, is the first deaf Women’s Motocross Association (WMA) professional. In 2009, Fiolek was crowned WMA champion, defending her title from 2008 and also took home her first X Games gold medal

In her first year as pro, Fiolek earned the title of champion of three pro national races, finishing fifth at her WMA women’s professional debut at Steel City.

Fiolek had a successful 2007 season, with victories in Texas at the Spring Classic and the GNC International. She also took first place at the World Mini Grand Prix in Las Vegas and was awarded Inspirational Athlete of the Year at the 2007 Xtremey Awards. In 2006, Fiolek was the only girl to qualify for the American Motorcycle Association (AMA) Air Nautiques Amateur National Championships boys’ 85cc 14-15 class.

In 2004, Fiolek was honored with the Thor MX Outstanding Achievement award at the Thor Winter National Olympics in Gainesville, Fla. That same year she became the first deaf person to win an AMA National Championship when she won the girls’ 9-13 age group at the AMA Air Nautiques Amateur National Championships, the most prestigious amateur national event in motocross, Winning this competition made her an easy choice for both the AMA Youth Motocrosser of the Year and Youth Rider of the Year awards in 2004.

Fiolek is currently one of the few female motocross riders in the nation with the speed and ability to compete in the boys’ classes at a national level. Fiolek writes a monthly article for Motoplayground Magazine and a bi-weekly column on the, Transworldmotocross.com, which is the most visited motocross Web site in the industry. Fiolek was featured in ESPN: The Magazine, as well as in the August 2007 issue of Rolling Stone magazine. In addition,she was nominated for an ESPY Award in 2009 for Best Female Action Sports Athlete.

Michelle Rodgers

Michelle Rodgers was voted Most Likely to Succeed by her high school classmates at George Rogers Clark High School in Winchester, Kentucky. Little did they know that less than a month after receiving her high school diploma, this small town girl would become one of only 52 women in history to earn the title of America’s Junior Miss, winning a total of $60,000 in cash scholarships and the official AJM gold medallion.

Michelle is a student at Northwestern University where she is studying theater (her passion), business (as a practical matter), and Spanish (to prepare her for a future Peace Corps stint in a Spanish-speaking country). Michelle is no stranger to hard work in her academic life – she was an officer in the National Honors Society and a Distinguished Scholar at her high school. She believes that education is the key to success and she plans to make the most of her own educational opportunities. Michelle hopes to make a positive impact on the world by encouraging literacy among children, with the goal of eliminating adult illiteracy in the future. She is an active member of the Teen-Advisory Board of her local library where she works with children in summer reading programs.

Michelle studied theater at such acclaimed establishments as the Lexington Shakespeare Institute, the Governor’s School for the Arts, and the Kentucky Classical Theater Conservatory. In fact, she chose Northwestern University because it claims to have the number one theater program in the nation. Michelle’s artistic talents run the gamut from playing the piano, dramatic and musical theater, and choir to acrylic painting.

AJM’s Be Your Best Self program, a national outreach program to encourage self esteem in all young people, inspired Michelle to create a similar program with her National Honors Society group. Her NHS group’s program taught children to be true to themselves as they moved from elementary school to middle school – where peer pressure is the strongest. Throughout the year, Michelle will travel to promote BYBS and to be a role model for the program. A self-described outdoorswoman, Michelle loves backpacking, hiking, long bike-pack trips with her mother and rock climbing. She’s just a small town girl with big dreams and the will to make them come true.

Laura Warshauer

Who does Jay-Z feel is “Fantastically Talented”?

Singer-songwriter Laura Warshauer is a storyteller, examining loss, love and life through her music. The New Jersey native crafts sonic gems, combining pop melodies and flourishes of rock.

Laura is currently touring to support her self-titled EP, released on Island Records and produced by Rich Keller. Laura describes her sound best, "There's definitely a rock sensibility, but it's really about grand melodies. I have a classic pop structure in terms of my writing style, but lyrically, I offer a unique angle."

Recently, Laura performed with the Gin Blossoms and the Nappy Roots. She was a featured performer at the SXSW BMI brunch, the Lollapalooza Music Lounge, and was just chosen to perform at CMJ 2009.

Laura wants to give audiences something they can truly connect to. "People respond when you're honest in your art. I love it when people get a sense of something real, organic and human from my music. It's about taking people on the ride with you..."

Tish Ciravolo

Tish Ciravolo and her rocking company, Daisy Rock Girl Guitars, are doing whatever it takes to help more girls play guitar and enjoy music. Combining a lifelong passion for making music with a desire to “level the playing field” for dedicated female guitarists and bass players of all ages, Tish Ciravolo is a Renaissance woman of the music industry and a true pioneer of the instrument manufacturing world. Ciravolo’s focus on female empowerment and females in music has been immortalized by her induction into the Museum of Making Music—the world’s premier museum showcasing the history of the music products industry. Ciravolo’s insight and expertise on girl guitars and female empowerment has made her a sought-after and frequent contributor on national and international media outlets including People, Time, Newsweek, CNN, ABC, NBC, FOX, VH1, the Premier Radio Network, BBC Radio, and the Associated Press.

Ciravolo’s commitment to empowering female musicians extends into the realm of book publishing and beyond. With print music publishing giant Alfred Music Publishing, she has released: Girl’s Guitar Method, books 1 & 2, and Girl’s Bass Method. Ciravolo is also devoted to helping numerous causes including Make a Wish Foundation, VH-1 Save the Music, and Los Angeles Women in Music. Ciravolo also spends tireless hours out in the community supporting the next generation of musicians by giving motivational and empowering speeches to girls everywhere, from elementary schools’ “career days” to summer rock camps like the Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls and DayJams Rock Music Camps.