About Me

I barely survived growing up wild in the deep south, moved myself to LA for the beautiful life, and stumbled into ecstasy in the heart of West Africa. Life is rich, heart-breaking, breath-taking, and kick-ass lovely. I am fortunate.

I’m a writer of all stripes, as well as a producer and former television executive.

My life took an unusual turn in 2002 when I learned – through a random internet listing – of an orphanage caught behind rebel lines during the civil war in Cote d’Ivoire, West Africa. Over 1,000 children, cared for by a handful of workers, were trapped without food or medicine. I raised enough money from friends through Paypal to purchase $100,000 worth of medicine and coordinated a convoy with the Red Cross to transport the shipment in through rebel territory.

From there, I began a second career of taking on relief efforts in Africa for urgent situations often overlooked by the mainstream media. I’ve since initiated programs that include training rural birth attendants in West Africa how to prevent mother to child transmission of HIV (Cradle of Life), coordination of emergency medical evacuations for children requiring life-saving surgeries (The Next Right Thing), an education and feeding program for former slave children in the Gambia (The Cham Family Project) and leading groups of adventurous volunteers to Africa on missions to make a difference (Ten Days).

I’ve been blessed to have my projects been featured on BBC, NPR, The Today Show, and The Oprah Winfrey Show. ABC World News named me “Person of the Week” and O Magazine called me “Good Guy of the Month.” My dogs call me “The One Who Never Walks Us Enough.”

As a result of all this, I co-founded The Strongheart Group. Our mission is to bring together people, resources, and ideas to radically transform individual lives and strengthen the fabric of humanity.

Our core projects are Ten Days, The Name Campaign, The Next Right Thing, and the project that’s been my life-long dream: Strongheart Fellowship.

On a less illustrious note, I’ve passed out cold during an amputation surgery, been caught in an election riot, crashed through a blockade of spiked-club-wielding highway bandits, and been stuck on a hotel roof for a week due to civil unrest with nothing but popcorn and my various Mac devices.

You can reach me at coristern at gmail.com or follow me on twitter at “girlseeksworld.”