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Tina Meier      

Founder and Executive Director of the Megan Meier Foundation

On October 16, 2006, Tina Meier’s life took a devastating turn when her 13 year old daughter, Megan Taylor Meier, took her own life after being cyberbullied by an adult neighbor posing as a fictitious boy named “Josh Evans” on MySpace. In December of 2007, Tina Meier founded the Megan Meier Foundation, a non-profit organization that proactively addresses issues of bullying, cyberbullying, and suicide in today's world. Since its inception, Tina and Foundation staff have reached over 270,000 students, parents, and educators in 35 different states.

Tina worked closely with Senator Scott Rupp and Governor Matt Blunt’s Internet Task Force for the State of Missouri to help pass Senate Bill 818, which went into law on August 28, 2008. Representing the mission of the Foundation, she has appeared nationally and internationally on many network television stations, news magazines, and syndicated talk shows speaking about the issues of bullying, cyberbullying, and suicide. She was a consultant for the 2011 ABC Family movie, “Cyberbu//y”, and appeared in several documentaries, two of which two were in 2015, Discovery ID’s “Web of Lies,” and the story of Lizzie Velasquez “A Brave Heart.” In April 2016, Tina was one of the featured speakers for TedX Bend, Oregon.

Tina has received numerous recognitions and awards on behalf of the Foundation for her bullying prevention efforts, from being selected as Teen Line’s Humanitarian of the Year for 2009, to her acceptance of a presidential invitation to attend the White House Anti-Bullying Conference in 2011, being honored by the Missouri Commission on Human Rights with the Judge Arnold Krekel Trailblazer Award in 2013, and being a Women in Leadership honoree in 2015 by Tribute to Success.

Today, Tina continues to travel throughout the country educating youth, parents, educators, and professionals on the consequences associated with the harmful effects of bullying and cyberbullying with hopes to inspire others to "Be Megan's Voice... Be the Change!"

Videos

Speech Topics

Being Megan’s Voice: The Tina Meier Story

In 2006, Tina Meier lost her 13 year old daughter, Megan, to suicide following a cruel cyberbullying attack. An adult neighbor had posed as a fictitious boy on MySpace, torturing Megan with painful words, ultimately driving her to take her own life. Through her personal recount of the events surrounding her daughter’s death, Tina shares her experience and the path that led her to establish the foundation, move forward with her life, and persevere despite her loss. A touching story about loss and resiliency, this presentation illuminates the triumph of the human spirit and gives a face to the consequences of bullying.

You are Not Alone: Challenging the Stigma of Mental Illness

Over 90% of individuals who commit suicide have been diagnosed with mental illness. Tina’s presentation addresses the challenges of mental illness and the tragedy of suicide. Through her emotional narrative recounting the life and death of her daughter, Megan, who took her own life at the age of 13, Tina incorporates appropriate strategies to address the stigmas surrounding mental illness. By educating participants on the warning signs of depression, Tina opens the door for conversation in the home, school, and community about mental illness while reinforcing the importance of involvement and advocacy.

Hate-Filled Hallways: Creating a Safe Space at School

71% of students report that bullying is a problem in their schools, often leading to excessive absenteeism for those being victimized. Tailored to educators and education professionals, Tina addresses classroom management and appropriate bullying prevention and intervention strategies. Mental and emotional well-being is directly correlated with classroom performance and through recognizing signs of struggling students; educators can take a more proactive approach and develop strategies to understand their students on an individualized basis.

Parenting in the Digital Age: Cyberbullying, Social Media, and the Internet

In this presentation, Tina lays the foundation for understanding how to be an actively involved parent while navigating the various challenges of raising children and teens in the digital age. How do parents find the right balance between wanting their children to enjoy the internet and social media while still being cautious of the dangers it presents? Through her candid narrative about her experiences with her own daughter, she provides parents with a thorough understanding of modern day cyberbullying, its psychological and physical effects, and the resources available to combat this growing epidemic.

Bullying, Cyberbullying, and Suicide: What You Need to Know

Nearly 90% of social media-using teens report that they have witnessed others being mean or cruel on social networking sites. With numbers this staggering, it’s critical that we address this rampant problem of cyberbullying and hate being perpetrated against our youth. Tina presents the current landscape of online harassment through the fusion of current research and statistics with personal experience to ignite a movement of change and action surrounding bullying, cyberbullying, and suicide.

Be THEIR Change: Creating a Culture of Advocacy

In this presentation, Tina empowers participants to practice empathetic and pro-social actions that encourage a culture of upstander behavior and acceptance. Tailored to youth and young adults, she addresses the standard of bullying that we have come to expect and accept in our society, and through stories of struggle and consequences, teaches participants to actively reject this norm of cruelty by challenging offenders and being the change in the lives of the bullied.

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