Our Founder

Our Founder

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mindi

Mindi Fetterman

Mindi is the Founder and Visionary Leader of The Inner Truth Project. She is a wife, a mother, and a career woman. She is also a survivor of sexual abuse as a child and a survivor of rape as a teen and adult.

Though by “conventional wisdom” Mindi Fetterman’s story shouldn’t read as it does, the hurdles and experiences she has faced have fostered an incredible commitment to community, activism, and leadership that is changing lives each and every day.

After struggling through her childhood and teenage years, Mindi began a path to sanity and sobriety in her twenties. She graduated from Florida Atlantic University, Magna Cum Laude, with a degree in Women’s Studies. Her education fostered the activist within, and she spent five years counseling women and providing clinic defense at Presidential Women’s Center in West Palm Beach, Florida. The experience helped her to develop a strong voice and passion for political and community activism, and today Mindi continues to stand up for reproductive and healthcare choices for women and their families.

In the past several years, she has traveled to Brazil to work in schools and orphanages has volunteered for and been recognized by Hospice, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Sarah’s Kitchen, Planned Parenthood, The Children’s Healing Institute, The Eckerd Foundation, and numerous autism organizations. She is a board member of the Florida Council Against Sexual Violence, a member of the National Coalition of Jewish Women, Hadassah and The Port St. Lucie Business Women. Mindi has had the pleasure of serving on many boards that help local women, children and families, including the St. Lucie County Education Foundation, Emergency Medical Association, St. Lucie County’s Substance Abuse Coalition, The Treasure Coast Jewish Film Festival, Safe Space, and Pace Center for Girls. Mindi is the Founder and Past Board President of the St. Lucie County Chapter of National Organization for Women, and former Membership Chair of the St. Lucie County League of Women Voters. She’s the grateful recipient of the United Way of St. Lucie County 2012 Community Angel Award, Special Honor Award Winner from Palm Beach County NOW in 2013, the 2014 Soroptimist International Volunteer of The Year and a recipient of the 2015 Jefferson Award.

For years, Mindi has been frequently invited as a guest speaker to different venues to candidly discuss her experiences with breaking the ties of shame that exist in society around sexual violence, rape, and incest. In so doing, she realized the severe shortage or outright absence of services on the Treasure Coast for survivors like herself. Realizing a decade long dream of opening a center for survivors of sexual trauma, in December of 2012, Mindi founded The Inner Truth Project and, in the spring of 2013, opened the Inner Truth Center to provide loving support, encouragement, and healing for survivors and their families. The response has been overwhelming, enlightening and most importantly, affirming that alone survivors may suffer – together, they can heal and thrive.

Born in Chicago, Illinois, Mindi has lived in Florida for over twenty years. She and her husband Adam were married in Asheville, N.C. in 1999 and have an amazing son, Noah.

Awards & Recognitions

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  • 2012 United Way of St. Lucie County Community Angel Award
  • 2013 Palm Beach County N.O.W., “Moving the Next Generation Forward Award”
  • 2014 Soroptimist International Volunteer of The Year
  • 2015 Dyer Difference Award
  • 2015 Investigation Discovery Channel Hero of the Month
  • 2015 Jefferson Award Recipient
  • 2016 Eckerd Kids Children’s Hero of the Year Award Nominee
  • 2020 Agency of the Year for the National Association of Social Workers, Florida Chapter – Treasure Coast Unit
  • 2016 L'Oréal Paris Women of Worth Finalist
  • 2018 Shepard's Heart Hero/Shero of Community Service Award
  • 2018 Community Advocate of the Year Award, 19th Judicial Circuitt
  • 2019 St. Lucie County Children’s Services Council Community Impact Award
  • March 2020, Bob Graham Distinguished Service Award
  • National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC) 2021 Visionary Voice Award
  • AFP, The Treasure Coast Chapter, 2022 Unsung Hero Award

"Mindi has the ability to connect with her audience on a deeper level to educate them about one of the most serious topics: sexual violence. She is an inspirational speaker who can empower her audience to create change in their lives and others – and improve the world we live in. If you have an opportunity to hear a speech from this phenomenal woman, you better take it."


~Joseph Abreu, APR, Communications & Emergency Management Director | Clerk of the Circuit Court, St. Lucie County

“The Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County is thrilled to partner with The Inner Truth Project to provide educational workshops, activities, and resources on consent and sexual violence prevention to our teen members and staff. In our initial session, participating staff members were provided with training on the various types and prevalence of sexual trauma, as well as tips for supporting teens in better understanding consent and personal boundaries to help prevent sexual violence before it occurs. Executive Director Mindi Fetterman demonstrates a deep understanding of the subject matter, which she delivers with a professional and relatable approach. In doing so, she creates a welcoming learning environment and makes even the most sensitive topics more accessible to a broad and diverse audience. We look forward to continuing this partnership as part of our organization's commitment to prioritizing the physical and emotional safety of our Club members.”


~Kelly A. Landrum, MA, MBA | Social Emotional Learning Manager, Boys & Girls Club of Palm Beach County

"Communities Connected for Kids recently asked Mindi Fetterman and the Inner Truth Project to participate in a prevention expo. We were looking for someone in the community familiar with the practice of mindfulness who could lead a series of seminars for our attendees. Mindi graciously agreed and led sessions throughout the day. She was engaging and personable - an absolute delight. I myself sat in for the first session and can testify that Mindi clearly practices what she preaches: A computer behind a locked door was making a high-pitch noise that could have been very distracting, but Mindi took in stride, with humor and even incorporated it into her lesson.”


~Christina Kaiser | Director of Community Development, Communities Connected for Kids

“At Hibiscus Children’s Village in Vero Beach, I have the opportunity to teach life skills and independent living skills to youth in foster care, ages 12-17. They are in care due to abandonment, neglect, and abuse. One of my main roles is to bring in weekly guest speakers from around the area to educate our clients. Mindi Fetterman, Founder and Executive Director, not only educates and informs my teens, she is engaging and entertaining as well. Each time she has given her presentation covering topics such as Consent, Boundaries, and Respect, my clients have also been fully engaged and participatory. No question goes unanswered as Mindi handles all queries (even the most off-the-wall ones) with dignity and honesty. Any time I ever need a guest speaker to handle sexual abuse or consent or feel the need to refer one of my youth to a sexual abuse support group, my first and only choice will be Mindi and The Inner Truth Project.”


~Frank L. Avilla | Director of Career Pathways to Independence

To book Mindi for a speaking engagement, contact Booking at info@innertruthproject.org