Survivors & Leaders

Welcome to Survivors & Leaders, a show hosted weekly by national speaker and award-winning activist, Ashley Bendiksen. Each week, you’ll be inspired by the powerful stories of those who have experienced trauma, adversity, and hardship, only to rise up, triumph, and even… lead change.

This is a show about breaking down barriers, and talking openly and honestly about the issues that impact every one of us. It’s about learning to heal, grow, transform, and find meaning and purpose from our life experiences. And of course, it’s about uniting together for an even bigger mission. The journey begins here… let’s join in dialogue that dares to impact change.

Ashley Bendiksen is a national speaker and award-winning activist, leading change in the areas of domestic violence and sexual assault prevention, as well as resilience, empowerment, and leadership development. Ashley graduated as Valedictorian of Salve Regina University with a B.A. in Administration of Justice, and has built an accomplished career in the criminal justice, victim services, advocacy and prevention fields. She is known as a top speaker for youth, educators, and schools, in addition to women’s events, advocacy forums, and trainings for first responders, victim services professionals, and workplaces. When she isn’t speaking, Ashley
works one-on-one with individuals as a Certified Life Empowerment Coach and Victim Advocate, and runs a motivational apparel line called ‘brāv apparel’. Additionally, she serves on numerous executive boards and has founded countless social change initiatives. This includes her present work as Founder of the Blue Hearts Project, a storytelling platform for survivors. She is also a speaker with the international organization, Difference Makers #10Strong. As an added fun fact, in 2009, Ashley held the title of Miss New Bedford and placed Top 5 in the Miss Massachusetts
pageant.

You can find Ashley at: Ashley Bendiksen

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