20 Inspiring Women Dedicated to Making Life Safer for Kids

Did you know there’s an army of women behind your children, fighting to keep them safe from online predators, pornography, sexual exploitation, and other digital dangers?

From policy changemakers to hands-on educators, authors, and tech leaders, these women are working tirelessly to protect kids, equip parents, and advocate for stronger safeguards. Their impact reaches homes, schools, and legislation, paving the way for a safe future for children everywhere.

As we celebrate International Women's Day, it’s the perfect time to recognize these changemakers and the difference they’re making in the lives of children and families.

Let’s meet 20 inspiring women dedicated to making life safer for kids (listed alphabetically):

Andrea Davis: Better Screen Time

Helping families create healthier tech habits

A former secondary education teacher, Andrea Davis is on a mission to help families worry less about screens and connect more with each other. As the founder of  Better Screen Time, and a mother of five, she shares family-tested strategies to help parents set healthy boundaries with technology. If you’re looking for a game plan, check out her courses: : Creating a Tech-Healthy Family, and Untangling Teens and Tech. 

Andrea has written for Defend Young Minds on the topic of Swimming Upstream: How to Share Your Family's Media Standards with Other Parents.

Shelby DeBause: LMFT and author

Providing tools for kids recovering from trauma

Shelby DeBause is passionate about helping children heal. As the Clinical Director of Genesis Counseling, she equips parents, caregivers, and mental health professionals with practical interventions to support sexually traumatized youth. She co-authored Good Pictures Bad Pictures Guidebook for Counseling Kids, and  It’s…Just Private, a children’s book that teaches healthy body boundaries in a kid-friendly way. She has also written on preventing sexualized play in children.

Dr. Gail Dines: Culture Reframed

Exposing the impact of pornography on kids and culture

Dr. Gail Dines has spent over 30 years researching how pornography is shaping culture, identity, and sexuality—and she’s sounding the alarm. As the founder of  Culture Reframed, she gives parents and educators research-backed strategies to protect kids from the influence of hypersexualized media. Her book, Pornland: How Porn Has Hijacked Our Sexuality has been translated into five languages and even turned into a documentary film.

Gail Dines has written for Defend Young Minds on 5 Remarkable Victories in the War Against the Porn Industry.

Melissa Hackett: Utah Coalition Against Pornography - UCAP

Uniting experts and parents to fight pornography’s harm

Melissa Hackett is the Executive Director of the Utah Coalition Against Pornography (UCAP), an organization that raises awareness about pornography’s impact on individuals, families, and society. She loves working to bring practical tools and tips to individuals, families, and the community.

Dawn Hawkins: National Center on Sexual Exploitation - NCOSE

Holding corporations accountable for child safety

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Dawn Hawkins, Senior Advisor to the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE), has been a fierce advocate for 16 years, leading efforts to protect children from online predators and sexual exploitation. She has spearheaded initiatives to hold corporations accountable for child safety, driving policy changes that protect children from online predators. 

Dawn also spearheads NCOSE’s annual Dirty Dozen List, exposing corporations that profit from sexual exploitation—and pushing them to change.

Brittany Homer: Project STAND, Safe Tech Solutions

Equipping parents and schools to navigate the digital world

Brittany Homer believes kids can use technology in healthy ways—if they’re given the right tools. That’s why she co-founded Project STAND and Safe Tech Solutions where she empowers youth, parents, and schools to use technology responsibly. 

A Certified Family Life Educator with a Master’s in Family and Human Development, Brittany has advocated for child safety at the United Nations and serves on NCOSE’s Safeguard Alliance. Her podcast, Raising Today’s Kids, tackles the digital dilemmas families face.

Brittany Homer has written for Defend Young Minds on 4 Fun Ways to Ditch Devices and Embrace Summer Adventures.

Donna Hughes: Enough Is Enough

Fighting for a safer internet

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Donna Hughes is one of the original leaders in the fight for a safer internet. Through Enough Is Enough, she has worked tirelessly for decades to educate parents, as well as hold tech companies accountable, pushing for laws that protect children from online exploitation and cyber threats.

Kristen Jenson: Defend Young Minds

Teaching kids to reject pornography

Kristen Jenson one goal: empower kids to reject pornography before it ever becomes a problem.

She’s the founder of Defend Young Minds and the author of the  #1 best-selling Good Pictures Bad Pictures books, which teach kids how to reject pornography. 

She also produced the Brain Defense: Digital Safety curriculum to help parents and educators teach kids how to navigate the online world safely. A sought-after speaker, Kristen has testified before legislative bodies and presented at international conferences, advocating for greater awareness and stronger actions to defend young minds from pornography and all forms of sexual exploitation. 

Titania Jordan: Bark Technologies

Helping parents navigate the digital age

Titania Jordan is the Chief Parent Officer of Bark Technologies, which helps protect over 7.4 million children both online and in real life. A globally recognized expert on parenting in a tech world, she provides parents with tools to navigate online risks. She is also the author of Parental Control: A Guide to Raising Balanced Kids in the Digital Era, which releases March 11. 

Titania has written for Defend Young Minds on How To Spot The Most Dangerous Apps For Kids.

Kimberly King: I Said No! A Kid-to-Kid Guide to Keeping Private Parts Private

Helping kids understand body safety

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An award-winning author and expert in child abuse prevention, Kimberly King is giving parents and kids the language they need to talk about body safety, and personal boundaries.

Through her books—I Said No! A Kid-to-Kid Guide to Keeping Private Parts Private, Body Safety for Young Children: Empowering Safe Adults, and her newest release, I Said No! to Hugs—she equips families with tools to have these tough but crucial conversations.

Her work has been featured in major publications, and she frequently trains adults and children on sexual abuse prevention strategies.

Kimberly has written for Defend Young Minds on 7 Tactics a Child Predator Uses to Lure Kids: Red Flag Phrases Every Parent Needs to Know.

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‍Deanna Lambson: White Ribbon Week, Safe Tech Solutions

Teaching kids digital safety in schools

Deanna Lambson is dedicated to teaching kids how to navigate media safely.

As the founder of White Ribbon Week and co-founder of Safe Tech Solutions, she has developed fun, engaging media safety programs for K-12 students.

Her work empowers both parents and educators to create a healthy digital environment for kids.

Deanna has written for Defend Young Minds: The World Needs Moms: The Amazing Power of Motherhood.

Megan Michelson & Mary Flo Ridley: Birds & Bees

Helping parents talk to kids about sex

The team behind Birds & Bees: Megan Michelson and Mary Flo Ridley help parents navigate conversations about sex. Their digital course provides parents with confidence and practical scripts for age-appropriate discussions on the topics of birth, pornography, reproduction, and more.

Heidi Olson: Paradigm Shift

Training healthcare professionals to recognize child sexual exploitation

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A Pediatric Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE-P) and expert in child sexual exploitation, Heidi Olson is the founder of Paradigm Shift Training and Consulting. She has conducted over 1,500 pediatric forensic exams and trains healthcare workers to recognize and respond to sex trafficking cases. Her advocacy has influenced policy at state and national levels, and she has testified on Capitol Hill about protecting children online.

Heidi has written for Defend Young Minds on Does Porn Empower Girls? The Big Lies that Hurt Your Daughter.

Kimberly Perry: Say NO! And Tell!

Teaching kids to speak up about body safety

Kimberly Perry is a long-time educator and author of the Say NO! And Tell! book series, which teaches young children about body safety. With a Master’s in Teaching and over 15 years of classroom experience, she has educated thousands of students on personal boundaries and sexual abuse prevention.

Kimberly Perry has written for Defend Young Minds on Three Powerful Ways to Guard Against Child Sexual Abuse.

Lisa Thompson: NCOSE

Fighting sexual exploitation at the policy level

As Vice President of the Research Institute at NCOSE, Lisa Thompson is leading the charge to combat child sexual exploitation. She’s worked to advance policies that hold tech companies and governments accountable for protecting children online.

Lisa has collaborated with Defend Young Minds on How the Average Kid Gets Sex Trafficked: Top 6 Ways to Protect Them.

Nicki Reisberg: Scrolling to Death

Raising awareness about social media’s impact on kids

A former social media manager, Nicki Reisberg has seen the dark side of digital platforms. 

Now she’s dedicated to social media reform. In 2023, she launched Scrolling 2 Death, a podcast that gives parents a safe space to discuss social media concerns and learn how to protect their kids online.

Barb Winters: Hopeful Moms

Helping parents break the silence around pornography

When Barb Winters' teenage son confessed to watching pornography, she felt isolated and overwhelmed.

Determined to help other parents avoid the same shame and confusion, Barb founded Hopeful Mom, a resource for tackling issues like pornography, online relationships, grooming, and human trafficking.

Barb is the author of Sexpectations which addresses tough issues like pornography, online relationships, grooming, and human trafficking. 

She serves as a sexual risk avoidance specialist, lead facilitator at E3 Family Solutions, and counselor at 423 Communities. Through her work, she reassures parents that no matter the challenges, there is always hope.

Barb has written for Defend Young Minds on Mom Guilt? 8 Tips to Overcome Shame When Your Child Sees Porn.

Melanie Hempe: ScreenStrong

Helping parents reclaim their kids from problematic screen use

Melanie Hempe is the founder of ScreenStrong, an organization that helps prevent screen addictions and replace toxic screen use with healthy activities. She educates parents about the effects of digital devices on brain development and provides alternatives for families seeking healthier lifestyles. Her organization has developed a curriculum–Kids’ Brains & Screens to help kids make good screen choices and strengthen family connections. 

Arden Young: Investigative Journalist, Sound Investigations

Exposing sexual exploitation in the porn industry

Arden Young, an investigative journalist who has exposed some of the darkest corners of the porn industry.

Through Sound Investigations, she released a multi-part undercover exposé on Pornhub’s unethical practices. Her work highlights the platform’s role in facilitating sexual exploitation and urges law enforcement to take action. Arden’s work has brought global attention to the urgent need for stricter regulations and the shutdown of sexually exploitative platforms.

Arden has collaborated with Defend Young Minds on How an Undercover Reporter Exposed Pornhub's Shocking Child Exploitation.

The women of Defend Young Minds

Educating parents & equipping kids to reject pornography

The Defend Young Minds team is on the front lines of educating parents, creating resources, and advocating for children’s digital safety. From publishing insightful articles, creating digital safety resources, to ensuring families receive life-changing books, each of these women plays a crucial role in equipping parents with the tools they need to help kids reject pornography and build lifelong digital resilience. (We’ve got some great men working for us, too!)

Join the fight for children’s safety

Just like we said at the start—there’s an army behind your children, fighting to keep them safe. 

This International Women’s Day, let’s not only celebrate these changemakers but also stand with them in the fight for children’s safety. You can take action today by:

• Exploring our guides to help you talk to your kids about online safety.
• Reading and sharing articles from Defend Young Minds to spread awareness.
• Using trusted tools like Good Pictures Bad Pictures and Brain Defense: Digital Safety to equip your family

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