About
I’m Jackie– an author, youth speaker, teen relationship expert and the founder and CEO of MotivationN3D, Inc., a motivational speaking company.
Speaker
I've been speaking publicly for more than 16 years, and as a professional speaker, have had the pleasure of delivering keynotes and workshops to over 100,000 teens both in the U.S. and abroad. As CEO of MotivationN3D, Inc., my time is devoted to speaking, training, and writing.
Author
In 2016, I published my first book, 7 Secrets Guys Will Never Tell You: A Teen Girl's Guide on Love, Sex, and Relationships, which is based on what I learned directly from teen guys in the classroom.
Mentor
I have been mentoring teens since 2001 and absolutely love sharing with them and being a part of each of their life's story. Many of them are young adults now and often give back by serving alongside me as peer educators, volunteers, and even youth speakers themselves.
I’m Jackie– an author, youth speaker, teen relationship expert and the founder and CEO of MotivationN3d, Inc., a motivational speaking company. I empower teens to dream bigger DREAMS, make better DECISIONS and fulfill brighter DESTINIES! I also equip parents to have the tough conversations with their teens about love, sex and relationships.
I’ve always felt a calling and obligation to let youth know that they can beat any odds they may encounter. I truly believe where children end up as adults has much more to do with the things they can control rather than things they can’t control. So, I share this powerful message with youth– your choices matter.
“You made me realize the impact my actions can have on my future and that my future is more important than things I want now. Thank you for teaching me the value of decisions.”
My Story
I am blessed to come from a large, close-knit family. Our father passed away when I was only four years old, leaving my mother a widow having to raise nine children on her own (one sister had already passed away at the time of my father’s death).
It wasn’t easy but my Mom made sure to set the bar high for us. We knew that discipline, hard work and an education would take us far. And it did!
Before becoming a youth speaker, I graduated from Furman University with a B.A. in Business Management and had a thriving career in management at Procter & Gamble.
People often ask me how I went from enjoying a successful career in corporate America to talking to young people every day about “Dreams, Decisions, and Destinies.”
Significance vs. Success
While working in corporate America, I moved around a lot with my job and in every city where I lived, I would volunteer to mentor young ladies. It didn’t take long to notice a pattern of regret coming from the girls due to unhealthy choices they made. And typically the regret involved sex.
I wanted to make a difference. So, in 2001, I traded in success for significance when I left Procter & Gamble to start an after-school program for teen girls.
It turns out I had the right mission, but the wrong method. The after-school program wasn’t meant to be, but equipping girls to make healthy choices was. And NOT just girls.
Fast-forward 16 years, and now I teach girls AND guys healthy relationship skills. In the classroom, in school assemblies, at conferences and at churches. I’m glad students realize that my message is so much bigger than just about relationships.
“You motivated me to do better in all aspects of my life and strive for something significant!”
Spending my days speaking to students is the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done. I am amazed by the response that I get from them. I often read letters from students (there have been over 12,000 and some as long as five pages), and weep.
Sometimes I weep because I am grateful that I was able to impact their lives in such a profound way, and other times I weep because their stories are so heart wrenching. I am humbled that they would trust me enough to pour their hearts out to me on paper and many times in person.
Teens say that I open their eyes about their poor choices and inspire them to make positive, life-changing decisions for their future. They say I relate to the challenges they face without being judgmental, while still empowering them to set and reach higher standards for themselves.
“You know how to relate to us teens. You understand our struggles, and I think that’s why you’re such an awesome speaker.”
I am on a mission to pull greatness out of each and every young person I engage. Telling them to “Just say, ‘No'” isn’t enough. Teens need something greater to say “Yes” to. And that’s exactly what I encourage them to discover for themselves!
“Out of all the helpful information that you’ve given us, the one thing that will always stick with me is that before I do anything, I need to find a greater YES.”
Students also say that my passion for what I do inspires them. They can tell that I really do care about seeing them reach their fullest potential. There’s no greater feeling than watching a teen not only “get it,” but then go on to share what what they’ve learned with others so that others can “get it” too. Many of my former students have done just that and now speak to and mentor teens themselves.
“I would also like to tell you that you inspired me to find a way to make something out of my life, something that matters.”
Whether you’re a parent looking for resources to help your teen navigate around the many pitfalls on his/her journey to adulthood, or a school administrator/youth leader looking for a speaker to motivate your students to focus on their future, you’ve come to the right place!
I publish weekly blog posts where you’ll get a glimpse inside the world of teens based on my experiences in the classroom. Prepare to be shocked, amazed, burdened, heartbroken yet encouraged. Whatever emotion you experience, I hope it compels you to join me in the fight to save this generation of teens that is so desperately seeking TRUTH.
The best way to stay connected with me on my journey is to sign up at the bottom of this page to receive our latest posts right in your inbox as soon as they’re published.
If it’s your first time here, you can check my blog’s archive for a list of every post I have written or use the search function in the upper right corner of this page to find other posts that might be of interest.
Want to hire me to speak at your next event? Be sure to check out my Speaker page.
