Jodee Blanco

Survivor, expert and activist Jodee Blanco is one of the country’s most trusted voices on the subject of bullying. She is the author of The New York Times bestselling memoir, Please Stop Laughing At Me . . . One Woman’s Inspirational Story that established her as the first voice of the anti-bullying movement. A chronicle of her painful school years, the book was a cultural catalyst and helped victims of all ages reclaim their lives and dignity.

Blanco’s essential work as a school bullying survivor revisiting the issue through an adult lens has been recognized by The National Crime Prevention Council, The Department of Health & Human Services, the National Association of Youth Courts, Special Olympics, The Chronicle of Higher Education, and state and local entities from Governors’ offices, PTA’s and law enforcement to school safety coalitions, mental health groups, and drug prevention programs.

Her award winning sequel, Please Stop Laughing at Us… was written in response to the demand for more information from her core audience-schools, parents and other Adult Survivors of Peer Abuse like herself, who have come to know Blanco as the champion of their cause. It provides advice and solutions set against the backdrop of her dramatic personal and professional journey as someone who unexpectedly finds herself the spokesperson for what would become a movement. Blanco released a companion journal to the Please Stop Laughing at Me… series and a third installment, entitled Bullied Kids Speak Out, inspired by true stories of kids she’s met while working on the frontlines.

Blanco has presented her message of hope and resiliency to thousands of people nationwide and implemented her anti-bullying program It’s NOT Just Joking Around!™ in hundreds of schools. She focuses on the human element of bullying, incorporating the matrix of students, educators and parents into each aspect of her program, and offers a realistic, practical plan of action for saving lives. No matter where Blanco goes, people open up to her because they see in her a kindred spirit, someone who’s willing to crawl down inside the hole where they’re trapped and guide them out the same way she did for herself.

Organizations that have brought Blanco in to keynote events include The United States Department of Interior, United States Department of Justice, The National Catholic Educational Association, The American School Counselor’s Association, The Washington School Counselor’s Association, Kentucky Association of School Administrators, The Illinois Association of School Boards, and numerous universities. Because of her emphasis on compassion, many dioceses also turn to her for Professional Development for their school leaders and bullying prevention in their classrooms.

On the international front, Curacao, Guam, Guatemala, Trinidad/Tobego, and the Aboriginal schools of Canada have all flown Blanco in to speak and implement her program in their countries and she has been published in several languages including Japanese, Chinese, Arabic, and Danish. In addition to her anti-bullying work, Blanco is a crisis management and communications consultant for schools and frequent expert guest on national broadcast and cable television. She has bylined for CNN.com (front page), The Huffington Post, and her story has been featured on CBS Evening News, in USA Today, The Chicago Tribune, and many other outlets.

A tireless advocate for the shunned and forgotten, Blanco’s rare understanding of why kids abuse other kids comes from a deep personal place. From fifth grade through the end of high school, she was rejected and tormented by her peers simply for being different and knows first-hand the long-term consequences. As an adult, she decided to go public with her story and turn her pain into purpose.
One of the most sought-after keynote/motivational speakers and seminar presenters, Blanco is redefining the scope of possibilities for curbing suffering in our schools, corporations, and communities worldwide.
In addition to the Please Stop Laughing at Me series, Blanco has written numerous books for educators. Non-bullying related works that she’s authored include: The Evolving Woman which was presented an award by then Senator and current President Joe Biden for its contribution to domestic violence awareness; the New York Times bestselling book Both of Us about Ryan O’Neal and Farrah Fawcett that she co-wrote with O’Neal, and her first sojourn into fiction, I, John Kennedy Toole, a New York Times “New and Noteworthy” selection.

Prior to her anti-bullying work, she owned an international PR firm that specialized in handling high-visibility individuals, often considered “bullies or challenging” that other firms wouldn’t take, many of whom were fraught Hollywood celebrities. She taught them the power of dignity, humility and grace in communication, changing not only how they interact with others, but how others respond to them.