Gabrielle Bernstein ’01 brings Spirit Junkie to SU

The Alumni Speaker Series will kick off on Wednesday, Oct. 19, with a visit from best-selling author, motivational speaker and spiritual guru Gabrielle Bernstein ’01. Having recently released her book “Spirit Junkie: A Radical Road to Self-love and Miracles” (Harmony, 2011), Bernstein will speak about her personal career journey and entrepreneurial ventures. The speech will take place at 7:30 p.m. in Huntington Beard Crouse’s Gifford Auditorium. Copies of Bernstein’s book will be available for purchase at the event.

Bernstein is thrilled to return to SU for the Alumni Speaker Series. “It is always incredible to return to my alma mater. Since graduating from SU in 2001, I’ve been on a unique entrepreneurial path and it’s a pleasure to share my story,” she says. “I hope to inspire students to follow their passion and open their minds to career possibilities beyond their wildest dreams.”

Previously, Bernstein spoke at SU as part of the Alumni Speaker Series in April 2010. She has been on the national speaking circuit since 2004, with lectures at Google, the WIE Symposium, Kripalu, Seattle Center for Women in Democracy, Nobel Women, the Step Up Women’s Network, the Junior Leagues and many other venues. Bernstein has also been featured in high-profile media outlets such as CNN, Elle, The New York Times Sunday Styles, and Wall Street Journal.

“Gabrielle is a phenomenal speaker,” says Kim Brown, alumni programs coordinator. “She has experienced some unconventional career transitions, making her an ideal person to tell students that their career journeys are not locked to their college majors.”

Shortly after graduating from SU in 2001 with an undergraduate degree in theater, Bernstein launched the Women’s Entrepreneurial Network to connect female entrepreneurs around the world. She also created her own boutique PR agency, SparkPlug Communications. More recently, Bernstein developed HerFuture.com, a social networking site for young women to find mentors.

Accompanying Bernstein will be Robyn Youkilis ’01, a holistic health coach who leads nutrition workshops and offers one-on-one health and nutritional coaching.

Bernstein’s speech is free to attend and open to the public.

The Alumni Speaker Series is a collaborative effort of Career Services and the Office of Alumni Relations which brings SU alumni back to campus each semester to share their career stories. In addition to Bernstein and Youkilis, this semester’s speaker line-up includes Mindy Stockfield ’93 and Jason Yaley ’05, G’06. Stockfield, vice president of digital media and marketing at Disney’s Hyperion Books, will speak on Friday, Oct. 28, at 3 p.m. in Newhouse 3’s Hergenhan Auditorium. Yaley, strategy and policy adviser to the vice-chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will speak on Wednesday, Nov. 2, at 7:30 p.m. in Maxwell Auditorium.

For more information about Bernstein’s speech or additional alumni speakers, contact Brown (kmbrow04@syr.edu, 443-3616).