Chapter One

“YOU CAN BE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO BE IF YOU WORK REALLY HARD.”

That’s what my mom and dad told me every day at a very young age, and I took it to heart. 
Tenacity has always been the name of my game. I became a serious violin player because I practiced four hours a day for a decade. I doubled down on academics so I could attend Stanford and Oxford Universities. When my mom suggested I look into competing in the Miss America competition I was overwhelmed with insecurities and imposter syndrome, but dug deep, worked really hard, and won.

In the early years of my career as a television reporter, I entered newsrooms in Richmond, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas, and New York City and was often labeled “a bimbo” or too “Minnesota nice.” Luckily, I was no stranger to being underestimated. I showed up every day prepared to prove them wrong. 

As I grew into a seasoned professional, a wife, and a mother, there were countless challenges along the way (including an extremely high-profile and public sexual harassment lawsuit). But even on my toughest days, hard work was my throughline. I was determined to lead a life I could be proud of.

Chapter Two

“SOMETHING GOOD WILL COME OF THIS.”

That’s what a close friend said to me right after my lawsuit. I have to be honest, I was pretty skeptical. But you know what? She was right.

Almost immediately, women started reaching out to me in droves to share their stories of pain, shame, and isolation. It became clear that even in the 21st century, almost every woman has a story. So I decided my next chapter would be about bringing those stories to light so we can change the world for future generations. 

My new “why” is simple— to work as hard as I can to create systematic change to protect women, the LGBTQ+ community, and people of color in the workplace.

The night before my lawsuit went public my husband said  to me, “I think they really underestimated you.”  Yep, that was true, but I soon realized this was much bigger than me. The true purpose of making my case public was to help create a safer workforce for my children and yours too. I did this for the millions of people who had been silenced and would never be able to tell their own stories.
It has been an honor to use my experiences to create tangible, meaningful change in the workplace. We’ve made immense progress since 2016, but our fight is far from over. I’m dedicated to telling your stories, lifting your voices, and empowering you when someone underestimates your strength.

Together, we can eradicate workplace toxicity for all disenfranchised groups. I hope you’ll join me.

Love and light,

Gretchen