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 best-selling memoir "Please Stop Laughing At Me… One Woman’s Inspirational Story." The book, a chronicle of her painful school years, was a cultural catalyst and helped victims of all ages reclaim their lives and dignity.

Blanco’s essential work as a school bullying survivor who revisits 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, PTAs, 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 her 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.

Some past clients of Blanco's include The United States Department of Interior, the United States Department of Justice, The National Catholic Educational Association, The American School Counselor’s Association, and The Washington School Counselor’s Association, among many others. On the international front, Curacao, Guam, Guatemala, Trinidad/Tobago, 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 multiple languages, including Japanese, Chinese, Arabic, Russian, Danish, and others.

In addition to her anti-bullying work, Blanco is a crisis management and communications consultant for schools and a frequent expert guest on national broadcast and cable television. She has bylined for CNN.com (front page) and The Huffington Post, and her story has been featured on CBS Evening News, in USA Today, The Chicago Tribune, and many other outlets. 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 best-selling memoir "Both of Us," which chronicles Ryan O’Neal’s love affair with Farrah Fawcett, which Blanco 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, Jodee owned an international PR firm that specialized in handling high-visibility individuals, often considered “bullies or challenging,” that other firms couldn’t help. Many of these individuals were stressed Hollywood celebrities. She taught them the power of dignity, humility, and grace in communication, changing not only how they interact with others but also how others respond to them.