Marie McKenzie

Marie McKenzie is an Award-Winning and #1 Amazon Best-selling author, registered nurse, trauma-informed educator, with more than 26 years of experience mostly in emergency care and survivor advocacy. Through her writing and teaching, she brings powerful attention to the realities survivors face and the urgent need for systems that respond with compassion, accountability, and dignity.

Marie is the founder of the International Sexual Assault Coaching Institute (ISACI) and the creator of the R.I.S.E.™ Trauma-Informed Care Framework, which teaches healthcare professionals how to Recognize trauma, Initiate safe care, Support healing, and Empower recovery for survivors of sexual violence and other forms of trauma.

Through R.I.S.E., Marie equips healthcare teams with practical, evidence-informed strategies to respond appropriately to disclosures, strengthen patient trust, and create safer clinical environments where survivors are treated with dignity and respect.

Marie’s commitment to this work is both professional and deeply personal. As a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, she understands the lifelong impact of trauma and the profound difference compassionate care can make in a survivor’s healing journey.

Through her books, training, and advocacy, Marie works to break the silence surrounding sexual violence and ensure survivors are met with informed care, compassion, and unwavering support.

She lives in Orlando, Florida, where she continues to write, teach, and advocate for survivor-centered, trauma-informed change.