Have You Been Bullied?

The session will define what Bullying is, How it happens, Why it happens
and When /Where it happens. The conversation will ultimately lead to how
individuals can reduce bullying violence within a
school/campus/communities and hopefully provide each member of the
audience with low risk strategies on how to support a student who is being
bullied or harassed.

Sherrie Austin

After being discovered at age 14 as Johnny Cash’s opening act on his Australian tour the diminutive brunette Sherrie Austin packed her bags and her entire family and moved to Hollywood California to join the cast of the hit series ‘The Facts Of Life’. Country music soon came calling again and she signed a recording contract with Arista Nashville in 97’ releasing two albums and charting several singles including ‘Lucky In Love’, ’One Solitary Tear’ and ‘Never Been Kissed’.  After the acquisition of Arista records by RCA, she went on to make two independent records and in 03’ had her first major chart hit with the title track from her record ‘Streets Of Heaven’.  In 2005 she stretched her theatrical wings in New York receiving critical acclaim in the NY Times for her portrayal of Bonnie Parker in the off Broadway ‘The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde’.  Using this as a springboard to Broadway she joined the cast of ‘Ring Of Fire’ in 2006. The last few years has been a focus more on songwriting.  Tim McGraw along with special guest Faith Hill recorded her song ‘ShotGun Rider’ on his 2007 release ‘Let It Go’.  Austin’s success continues with the title track to Blake Sheltons  2008 ‘Startin Fires’ and a hilarious duet recorded by Trace Adkins and Blake Shelton called ‘If I Was A Woman’.Most recently a cut by the King of Country himself, George Strait called “Where’ve I Been All My Life” on his Grammy nominated 2009 release, ‘Twang’. She can also boasts cuts by such country greats as Dolly Parton, Ronnie Milsap and Hal Ketchum. The muli-talented Saucy Aussie is now currently touring all over the country with her new cd ‘Circus Girl’, released early 2012.

Eric  Johnson

Eric received his degree in Marketing and Management from Trevecca University.  Eric started his career in 1996 as a STARS Specialist with Students Taking a Right Stand (STARS), in the Nashville office of the National Center for Youth Issues (NCYI).  Where he served as the Associate Executive Director of STARS and currently serves as the VP of Youth Development. He has been called a Motivation speaker and provides trainings to schools in the area Bullying and Harassment. He has spoken to hundreds and thousands of kids through  assemblies, trainings and classroom presentations to schools throughout TN. He has presented at National Conferences and Seminars on the “Rites of Passage” and Bullying Prevention Strategies and in 2005, he was a recipient of the Tennessean Top 40 under 40 Award honoring those whose commitment to community is and inspiration to others.  In 2011, he was honored by his local high school as a hometown hero as one “Living the Beyond the Dream.” Eric strongly believes that in order to teach young people, we first, must be able to reach young people.