Lauren Bailey

I spent two decades in the commercial book publishing industry before teaming up with my best friend, Lindsey Ross, and turning my passion for women’s empowerment into our mission. Together, we founded Thrive Empowerment Center in December of 2019. Thrive offers regular Empowerment Self-Defense workshops, a trauma-informed Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu team (called The Storm), and a variety of therapeutic movement/creative programs. As a martial artist, I earned a black belt in Combat Hapkido through the International Combat Hapkido Federation in 2019. I also hold rank in Filipino Kali, and am a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. I served on the board of NWMAF from 2019-2023 as the membership coordinator, and my ESD teaching has been certified by the NWMAF, ESD Global, and ASSERT Empowerment & Self-Defense. I am currently working on my MSW with a concentration in trauma-informed care at Northern Kentucky University.