Shannon McNamara - The Inspiration

Shannon is the angel who inspired Girls Fight Back. Just days shy of her 22nd birthday, she was murdered by an intruder who broke into her college apartment in Charleston, IL. She had planned to be a physical education teacher and track coach after graduating, and she would have been amazing at both. On the night of her death and under the worst of circumstances, Shannon chose to fight back against the stranger in her home. Because she did, she was able to provide physical evidence that lead police to her killer. It was the person you would least expect: a 26-year-old male college student who lived across the street. To this day, we do not know why he killed her. In February 2003 he was convicted of 1st degree murder and today he sits on Illinois Death Row awaiting execution. To read Shannon's story, click here. You can also join the Facebook group where she is memorialized: “Remembering Shannon McNamara.”

Erin Weed - Founder/CEO

Shannon and Erin were Alpha Phi sorority sisters at Eastern Illinois University, and very close friends. Inspired by the way Shannon fought her attacker, Erin abandoned her short career in the fast-paced world of New York City television production to learn all she could about self-defense and personal safety. After gaining several certifications to teach, Erin started speaking professionally at colleges, high schools and corporations in 2001. In 2009 she was voted “Best Female Performer” by Campus Activities magazine, and speaks to over 100,000 people each year. She is the author of Girls Fight Back! The College Girl’s Guide to Protecting Herself (DK Publishing, 2009) and a frequent guest in the media including the CBS Early Show, Weekend Today and CNN. She was given the Hometown Hero award by the founder of America's Most Wanted, John Walsh and named "30 Under 30" by New Jersey Monthly Magazine. To read more about Erin, visit her blog at ErinWeed.com

Speaker Team

Selected from a large pool of national applicants, our speakers are highly trained in both self-defense skills and public speaking. These young women are based in regions across the United States. Each has graduated our Fight Back Academy, which consisted of one week of the most intensive self-defense training you can get. Ground fighting, verbal boundaries, weapons defense (guns, knives, sticks), multiple attackers - you name it, they took it on! To graduate, each of them confronted their own "custom worst nightmare" where they tackled a mock scenario of their worst fear. All under the training of Erin Weed and a team of violence prevention experts, this team of speakers is ready to rock your school, college or business with a presentation your audience won't soon forget. Download Speaker Highlight Sheet

Program Directors