Jessica Weiner

Jessica Weiner is this generation's go-to girl for self-esteem. Whether she is the keynote speaker at a seminar for mothers and daughters on today's pressure to be beautiful, writing her monthly body image column for Seventeen magazine, or working with celebrities such as Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, and Jennifer Lopez to spread the message of self-esteem, Weiner is motivating the women and girls of America to develop self-confidence, self-knowledge, and self-acceptance.

Weiner understands the issues facing young women today because she has lived through trauma and drama herself, spending her teenage years struggling with eating disorders and low self-esteem, before finally starting along the path to recovery in college. She has chronicled her own self-discovery and ultimate recovery from her disorders in her first book, A Very Hungry Girl.

Weiner started her first business at the age of 21 when she founded the ACT Out Ensemble, a national touring theater company based in Indianapolis. She has authored numerous social issue plays and her creative gifts of combining art and dialogue have been used to fuse the gap between healing and action in high profile crisis hotbeds such as Columbine High School following the massacre in 1999.

Having spent over 14 years on the road listening to the real life issues of women and girls, Weiner has been called upon as a trusted advisor, mentor, and role model for mothers and daughters. Inspired by these stories, Weiner wrote Life Doesn't Begin 5 Pounds From Now where she decodes the "language of fat" and explores how body image controls the way women think about their health, wealth, career, and relationships.

Weiner is the Chief Creative Officer for Talk to Jess, LLC, a media company dedicated to creating a nation of confident women and girls. She also serves as the Global Ambassador for the Dove Self-Esteem Fund, plays a vital role in Dove's global campaigns, and contributes a column to the Dove Digital Channel.

Working as a frequent contributor to such shows as The Today Show, CNN Showbiz Tonight, and The Tyra Banks Show, Weiner offers advice on topics ranging from body image and relationships to family issues and media pop culture. Her unique story and prestigious career have been featured in countless media, including The View, The Washington Post, Oprah, and The New York Times.

To honor those people who choose to make a difference in the everyday lives of others, Weiner has coined the term "actionist." She is proud to be affiliated with a multitude of grass roots groups and non-profits around the country who are all committed to transforming the self-esteem of women.