I am Dr. Jeni Stepanek – but most folks know me as “Mama Peace” – a moniker given to me by “The Imam and the Pastor” of Nigeria back in 2010. Before that, most folks referred to me as “Mattie’s mom” – which is a wonderful identity. But it doesn’t include my first three children – who also passed away very young. Being “Mama Peace” brings together so many chapters of my journey and also beautifully expresses my purpose in life.

Back in the 1970s, my undergraduate work in psychology, journalism, and philosophy well-prepared me for Doctoral programs in both clinical psychology, early childhood special education, and resource development. I’ve worked in various roles at the University of Maryland for many decades where I’m currently a Senior Faculty Specialist in the Department of Special Education. I also work for and/or serve in a volunteer leadership capacity for several non-profit organizations.

As an educator, author, and keynote speaker who parented four children with life-threatening conditions – I fuse academic training with personal experiences to offer insights that help others cope with challenges. My professional work in motivational speaking and mentoring – focused on building resilience and collaboration – grew from my personal journey: first as a mother of four children with complex medical conditions who died at young ages, and later as a woman diagnosed with progressive disabilities, then cancer, and now ongoing medical challenges.

I gave birth to all four children before learning that I have an “adult-onset” neuromuscular disease – a genetic condition that I unknowingly passed on to them as a fatal “infant onset” mutation. For many years, my focus was on raising my four children – and ensuring they knew how much they mattered and belonged in this world despite so many challenges.

In 2004, I made a promise to my youngest, Mattie, before his passing, vowing to carry forth his messages of hope and peace that were so much of part of his life’s purpose. But in exploring his writings and reflecting on our conversations, I discovered personal healing and newfound hope for myself, and for our world.

From this journey emerged the Mattie Stepanek Peace Foundation – at first a local initiative to honor Mattie’s legacy by building a park and sharing his wisdom. Across time, it has evolved into a globally recognized organization promoting values like kindness, acceptance, resilience, collaboration, compassion, and gratitude – uniting diverse individuals and communities in a shared commitment to peace.

My purpose – and the work of Foundation – transcends mere remembrance; it celebrates the vibrant spirit of a child who lived. Mattie reminds us – and generations to come – about timeless and universal matters such as Heartsongs and hope, and peace and purpose and play.

Today, as a memory curator, purpose connector, peace cultivator (and “chaos coordinator”) – I help youth and adults “around the block and around the world” (as Mattie would say) better understand the power of hope, and I encourage them to celebrate life – somehow – with grit, with grace, and with gratitude.

Metaphorically, I think of myself as a “global welcome mat” – ever-hoping to help others “move forthward” with peace, even amid challenges. In my free time, I enjoy journaling, creating “daily haikus,” photography, and simply celebrating life – every day in some way. When I grow up, I want to be “83 and a beach chair philosopher.”