Ashley Mitchell, owner of Big Tough Girl and Founder + Knee to Knee, set out to seek increased care, understanding, and resources for birth mothers.  For over a decade, Ashley has been one of the most consistent and sought after birth mother voices in the nation.  Well known for her vulnerability and transparency in adoption, her story has touched the hearts of countless members of the adoption community and beyond.

 

I CAN ADD THE PERFECT PERSPECTIVE TO YOUR EVENT TO DRAW THE AUDIENCE IN, EDUCATE AND BRING HOPE AND HEALING.

*all topics and speeches can be adjusted to your specific audience, including faith based dialogue.

 
 

KEY NOTE/MAIN STAGE TOPICS: 25-60 minutes, may include power points

  • 25-30 Minute stage presentation that brings tears to any audience. I share my journey to becoming a mother for the first time, becoming a birth mom within 72 hours after delivery, coming home to an RV and healing in a propane run trailer alone, and what the journey to post placement care looked like and how it evolved for me through great loss and heartache. I share “The Fish Story” analogy that will bring the tears and a powerful visual for dignity and love for birth mothers. This is a very impactful time on stage. It is short but hits every point to light a fire in your audience to contemplate their role and challenges them to do better in a way that offers hope, love and the healing miracle of support and God’s redemption.

  • 60 Minute stage presentation for any conference, fundraising event, gala for your communities and more. “Make them laugh, make them cry, make them donate.” I share a voice that is rarely heard and will pull the heart strings of any attendee. I walk through my journey of becoming a mother for the first time but more importantly the first hours and years to follow as a Birth Mother. We talk through the great importance of post placement support, redemption through our open adoption relationships and where we miss-stepped. No matter the audience this journey is full of relatable and significant details, insight and hope through healing.

Ashley on mainstage at FILLED Retreat in Pennsylvania. 1000+ Adoptive/foster parents
“Ashley spoke to a room of nearly one thousand women and captured the hearts of every one of them. Through generously spilling her life and heart onto the stage, she allowed us to see her story and humanity and, in doing so, opened our eyes and hearts to our own children’s birth moms. Ashley shares the real and raw of placement and adoption, and she shares it all in a spirit of love for and service of each member of the triad. Few eyes were dry and no hearts were left untouched after hearing Ashley’s words. She shares with power and compassion and conviction. What a gift it is to have a mother so willing to share herself so generously with others–for the good of birth mothers, foster and adoptive mothers, and the children we all love. ”
— Jamie Finn, Foster the Family
 

BREAKOUT SESSION TOPICS: 60-90 minutes, may include power points, handouts, audience participation

  • Navigating Open Adoption

  • Understanding Birth Mother Grief

  • Using the vehicle of adoption to grow your family + understanding what you are saying YES to

  • Adoptive Parent Guilt

 

EMCEE ENTERTAINMENT: For all of your fundraising or special event needs!

  • Emcee for your entire event dressed in ANY theme or requirement to match the event from casual to black tie

  • My philosophy in fundraiser events is to “make ‘em laugh, make ‘em cry, make ‘em donate” and I accomplish all three

  • I am excellent at conversation starts, working a crowd and connecting with individuals on a personal level (on and off the stage)

  • I can share a few minutes of powerful testimony throughout my Emcee time to help with a personal story connection

“Ashley made the night! She brought the room to life when speaking to a crowd that had little to no knowledge of birth mom support to bring in donors, personal testimony, and tears. Thanks to her, our annual fundraiser was a huge success! From sharing what our organization does for the local community to the long term and national impact it tied the night together. At the of the program she also live auctioned off some items and got the whole crowd bought in. We can’t thank Ashley enough for her long term support and guidance within our organization ”
— Shared Beginnings, Arkansas Local Fundraiser 2022
Shared Beginnings Fall Fundraiser 2022. ARAKANSA LOCAL. Country Casual theme. Emcee, Entertainment, Auctioneer, Network.

ARKANSAS LOCAL 2022 for annual Shared Beginnings Fundraiser. Country Casual. Emcee, Entertainment, Testimony, Auctioneer, Networking.

 

RETREAT SPEAKER AND WORKSHOP HOST: For one event of your retreat or an entire weekend, all materials provided

  • Boudaries

  • Adoptive Parent Guilt

  • 5 Whys Deep connection to your motivations

  • Adoptive Mom Meet - with brief powerful story telling and live Q and A, this can be a scheduled part of your retreat or an add-on

  • BTG FIVE workshop

  • My Trust Recovery Workshop, this is a ‘soul art’ workshop and they will create as we go

  • Navigating Open Adoption

  • Adoptive Parent meet-ups, lunch and learns, side events and more

“Ashley spent a weekend with seven adoptive moms at a known together retreat. In a setting that could feel uncomfortable or challenging to some, Ashley filled our space with warmth. Ashley’s energy led us through the weekend. As the organizer of the event, I felt as though I had someone to help carry the emotional load and flow of the weekend. For the attendees, they were able to be heard and seen and known by Ashley. We dove deep into conversations about open adoption and boundaries and roles. Ashley led amazing sessions that she uses in her birth mom curriculums. She also held court at an event that welcomed a dozen more moms. She has an unwavering ability to speak to her experiences and to remain vulnerable. She welcomes adoptive parents in a way that feels undeserving and beautiful—but she would never see it that way. Ashley truly embodies the concept that adoption is a mess and a thing that happens and a place where beauty can occur and a space where everyone person should have a voice and be honored. Her involvement with known together has been magic. ”
— Known Together, Adoptive + Foster Mom Retreat, Wisconsin 2022

Adoptive + Foster Mom Meet-Uo: Additional Event added to Known Together Retreat.

 
 

BREAKOUT SESSION TOPICS: 60-90 minutes, may include power points, handouts, audience participation

  • Navigating Open Adoption

  • Understanding Birth Mother Grief

  • Using the vehicle of adoption to grow your family + understanding what you are saying YES to

  • Adoptive Parent Guilt

 

BREAKOUT SESSION TOPICS: 60-90 minutes, may include power points, handouts, audience participation

  • Navigating Open Adoption

  • Understanding Birth Mother Grief

  • Using the vehicle of adoption to grow your family + understanding what you are saying YES to

  • Adoptive Parent Guilt


 

PODCAST FEATURES: