Meaghan Barakett is the founder and president of One Girl Inc., a nonprofit social justice organization dedicated to empowering and advancing women and girls. Founded in 2012, One Girl helps young women effectively serve their communities and become agents of change.
Under Meaghan’s leadership, One Girl created Women in Charge: A Forum on Women’s Leadership, an annual conference in partnership with the Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service that brings together leaders to foster dialogue, mentorship, and action around gender equity.
A former model, yoga and meditation instructor, and titleholder of both Miss New York USA and Mrs. New York America, Meaghan’s diverse experiences have given her a unique lens through which she approaches leadership and empowerment. Yet, it is her social justice and advocacy work that has most profoundly inspired her. She has been a leading voice in the movement to protect individuals from online abuse, including her work on the E-Impersonation Prevention Act (NY Senate Bill S3990) to safeguard victims of cyberbullying and digital impersonation.
Meaghan earned her bachelor’s degree from Pace University and a master’s degree in Nonprofit Leadership from Fordham University, where she also serves as a member of the Fordham University President’s Council.
Her path has been marked by both purpose and profound personal loss, including the passing of her son, Lincoln. These experiences have deepened her belief that life’s darkest moments can become the soil for our greatest growth. Meaghan teaches that we are not buried, but planted, that even in pain, there is the potential for transformation. Through her work, she reminds others that community, compassion, and stillness can guide us toward light.
In her speaking and teaching, Meaghan emphasizes the power of stillness and grounding as tools for healing and self-discovery. She believes that knowing ourselves allows us to better serve the world and that in stillness, we can hear the quiet lessons that lead to growth.
Meaghan lives in Palm Beach, Florida, with her husband, Brett, and their blended family of six children.