2023 Keynote Speakers
Ashley Bendicksen
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. Additionally, Ashley actively serves on numerous executive boards and has founded diverse social change initiatives. This includes her present work as Founder of the Blue Hearts Project, a storytelling platform for survivors, and the SouthCoast Women's Network.
Dane Wysocki
Dane Wysocki is a Child Psychologist with over 30 years’ experience in working with troubled youth and their families. He has been a professional speaker for 25 years, bringing his message of hope, humor, and laughter to audiences nationwide.
Frustrated with the traditional, yet unsuccessful therapeutic interventions of dealing with emotionally unattached, depressed, and angry children, Dane developed his own innovative, and creative techniques using magic and humor to build rapport, establish relationships, and achieve results.
Dane's success with families, coupled with his unique perspective on the human condition, quickly made him a sought-after conference speaker and author on the Use of Humor in Therapy.
By using the magic of humor in the workplace, Dane's goals are to help people face the challenges of human interaction... "Taking what you do seriously, while taking yourself lightly!"
