Special Session

Jennifer Storm

Blackout Girl

by: Jennifer Storm

Jennifer Storm presents an interactive program that looks at one woman’s recovery from addiction, trauma and adversity, and identifies key components of what can help a person turn their life around. She is the ultimate survivor turned thriver having recently chronicled her own story of victimization and recovery in her memoirs Blackout Girl: Growing up and Drying out in America and Leave the Light On. Her story gives key insights to those working with individuals afflicted by trauma and substance use disorders, and provides tools on how to effectively identify and interact with clients to motivate success.

Jennifer Storm was nominated as Commonwealth Victim Advocate on November 8, 2013 by Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett. She was confirmed by the state Senate on December 10, 2013, to serve a six-year term. As Victim Advocate, she is responsible for representing the rights and interests of crime victims before the Board of Probation and Parole (PBPP) and the Department of Corrections (DOC), and to provide notification to crime victims of the potential for inmate release, opportunity to provide testimony, and notification of the inmate’s movement within the correctional system. Ms. Storm is also responsible for advocating for the interests of adult and juvenile crime victims throughout Pennsylvania.

Prior to this appointment, Ms. Storm served for 10 years as executive director of the Dauphin County Victim/Witness Assistance Program, a non-profit organization which provides direct services to victims of crime, community outreach and training in victim’s rights, and crisis response services.

The author of several books and magazine articles, Ms. Storm has received numerous awards for the telling of her personal story of victimization, addiction, and recovery. She has traveled the country giving keynotes, lectures, workshops, and panel discussions regarding victims’ rights, LGBT rights, addiction and recovery, and civil rights.

Ms. Storm has been profiled in, and interviewed for, many major national media outlets including: NBC‘s The Today Show and Dateline, People Magazine, CNN, Rolling Stone Magazine, World News Tonight with Diane Sawyer, CBS 48 Hours Live to Tell, E! News, Washington Post, Business Weekly, USA Today, and many more.