Ms. Koestner is an internationally recognized author, activist, and educator around technology, safety and healthy relationships. She is the first woman in the United States to speak out nationally and publicly as the victim of campus “date” rape at age 18. She has appeared on the cover of TIME Magazine, The Oprah Winfrey Show, NBC Nightly News, CNBC Talk Live, CNN, Larry King Live, Good Morning America, Later Today, MSNBC, Entertainment Tonight and other national television programs. Katie is the subject of an HBO movie and has lectured at over 5000 schools and universities around the world. Ms. Koestner is the founder of the Take Back the Night Foundation, which is an international organization working to end sexual violence, support survivors and raise awareness.

Ms. Koestner has assisted the US Department of Education in developing and providing programs to women in high risk communities. Her testimony on Capitol Hill was instrumental in the passage of federal student safety legislation. She has presented to the Division 1 Basketball Coaches at the Final Four, to the top 200 officers of the Department of Defense at the Pentagon, and to Chinese Delegates at the UN. Ms. Koestner has worked with over two dozen attorneys and firms to assist with legal cases involving sexual misconduct.

Education: 

• B.S. Public Policy, The College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA 1994
• B.S. Women’s Studies, The College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA 1994
  Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa
• Honorary Doctorate, Coe College, Cedar Rapids, IA 2009
  Doctor of Public Service, Honorary

Certifications:

• Sexual Assault Victim Response Counselor, Virginian’s Allied Against Sexual Assault Certification Program

Online Publications:

• “This is What Happened when I Reported my Rape.” Huffington Post. April 7, 2014.
• “These are the Places on Campus Where Sexual Violence Occurs.” Huffington Post. April 9, 2014.
• “The Gentleman who Raped Me.” Huffington Post. April 11, 2014.
• “A College Vice President Privately Confesses to Rape, Promises to Do Better.” Huffington Post. April 15, 2014.
• “The Real Reason Young Men Say They Won’t Report Being Raped.” Huffington Post. April 18, 2014.
• “My Inbox is Full of High School and Middle School Students’ Stories of Sexual Assault.” Huffington Post. April 22, 2014.
• “What Does it Mean to be a Child of Rape?” Huffington Post. April 25, 2014.
• “From Gossip to Bragging, How Girls and Boys are Talking about Sex is a Problem.” Huffington Post. April 30, 2014.
• “Kissing and Hurting.” US Department of Health and Human Services. Office on Women’s Health. April 2, 2015.
• “Respect My Red: My Movement to End Assault.” US Department of Health and Human Services. Office on Women’s Health. February 16, 2016.
• “Date Rape Activist Katie Koestner Responds to Stanford Victim’s Viral Letter.” Today.com Health. June 10, 2016.