Home > About Jeni Stepanek (Mama Peace)

About Jeni Stepanek, PhD

"Mama Peace"

“If I could share one message
with every person
everywhere in this world
it would be
‘you matter, you belong.’ ”

Jeni Stepanek, PhD
“Mama Peace”

Oprah Winfrey surprises Jeni
during her “Bucket List 83rd
birthday” celebration!

Jeni's Story

Jeni Stepanek, PhD, known as “Mama Peace,” believes that peace matters, and that peace is for all people.

Professionally recognized as a bestselling author, a well-respected educator and advocate, and an award-winning inspirational speaker, Jeni is most proud of her purpose as a memory curator, a peace cultivator, and a “welcome mat” for local and global neighbors seeking to create change for themselves, for their communities, and for our world.

Jeni serves as a Senior Faculty Specialist at the University of Maryland (Department of Counseling, Higher, and Special Education) and is the President & Founding Chair of the Mattie J.T. Stepanek Foundation.

She volunteers in leadership and advisory capacities for many organizations, including the We Are Family Foundation, Main Street Connect, Muscular Dystrophy Association, and Children’s Hospice International.

With degrees in special education, psychology, and journalism, her specialty fields include resilience, collaboration, advocacy, bereavement, low incidence disabilities, psychosocial care, community-building, hope, gratitude, purpose, celebrating life, and faith.

Well-known as “Mattie’s mom” – the parent of the late teen poet and “Heartsongs” ambassador of hope and peace – Jeni has three other amazing children
– Katie, Stevie, and Jamie.

Like their little brother, Mattie, the first three children also died young due to dysautonomic mitochondrial myopathy (infant onset mutation).

Jeni unknowingly passed this rare genetic neuromuscular disease on to them before she was diagnosed with the adult onset condition in 1992 – after she had already given birth to all four of her children.

Jeni penned the bestseller, Messenger: The Legacy of Mattie J.T. Stepanek and Heartsongs several years after Mattie passed away. She wanted the world to know the inspiring story of a child who touched the world with timeless and universal messages of hope, and who celebrated the important matters of peace, purpose, and play despite so many life challenges.

“This book is not about a boy who died,
but about a young man who lived,
and who loved people – all people.”
Jeni Stepanek, PhD

In her foreword to the book, poet Maya Angelou wrote something very similar about Jeni:

“I commend Jeni Stepanek
for daring to live,
for daring to give,
and above all for daring to love.”
Maya Angelou

The memoir was the last book Oprah Winfrey discussed as she concluded her 25-year television talk show in 2011.

Despite the inevitable challenges
of a living with a progressive
medical condition, complications of
cancer treatments, vision and hearing
impairment, and reliance on a wheelchair
and ventilator for mobility and breathing,
Jeni celebrates life every day,
and works and plays and toasts with
grit, grace, & gratitude.

Jeni was born on July 25, 1959.
When she grows up, she wants to be
“83 and a beach chair philosopher.”

"Mama Peace"

After participating in a series of Jeni’s workshop sessions during a 2010 global youth summit, “The Imam and The Pastor” of Nigeria began referring to her as “Mama Peace.”

“This title was, and is, a gift for me,” Jeni said. “It synthesizes my identity as a mom to all four of my children, and also my purpose as a mentor for youth and adults around the world.”

The Founding Chair and currently President of her son’s namesake Foundation, Jeni strives to “Make peace the news!” and to inspire positivity.

She creates most of the Foundation’s materials and programs – bringing Mattie’s wisdom and art together with her own insights, research, and photography – to produce resources that support youth and adults in personal or community peace journeys.

In addition to keynotes and media interviews, Jeni enjoys facilitating “Mama Peace Chat” sessions and writes “Mama Peace Post” blogs for local and global neighbors, and loves hearing “hey, Mama Peace!” as she rolls around her community.

Thoughts from Mama Peace

My “pronouns?”
I would rather folks ask me about
my “metaphors” and my “I am…” statements.

I am resilient.

I am a global welcome mat,
a memory curator, a chaos coordinator,
a purpose connector, a peace cultivator,
and a life celebrator.
I am Mama Peace.

“My ‘pronouns?’
I would rather folks ask me about
my ‘metaphors’ and
my ‘I am…’ statements:

I am resilient.
I am a global welcome mat,
a memory curator, a chaos coordinator,
a purpose connector, a peace cultivator,
and a life celebrator.

I am not always okay with
facts and realities and the news,
but I am okay with who and how I am,
and ‘okay’ is where peace can begin.”

“Celebrate life, every day, in some way –

with grit, with grace, and with gratitude!”

“I close each day with a
prayerful ‘wow!’ and ‘thank You!’

And when I open my eyes
and realize I am on the
other side of another midnight,
I begin each new day with a
prayerful ‘wow!’ and ‘thank You!'”

“I close each day with a
prayerful ‘wow!’ and ‘thank You!’

And when I open my eyes
and I realize I am on the
other side of another midnight,
I begin each new day with a
prayerful ‘wow!’ and ‘thank You!’“

Jeni's Story & Work Have Been Featured Worldwide

These are just a few of the global media outlets where her impact has been shared.

Playlist

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