SYMPOSIUM SPEAKER BIOS
Erin Brockovich
Say the name Erin Brockovich and you think, strong, tough and stubborn. Erin is all that and definitely more. She is a modern-day “David” who loves a good brawl with today’s “Goliaths”. She thrives on being the voice for those who don’t know how to yell. She is a rebel. She is a fighter. She is a mother. She is a woman. She is you and me.
It’s been over 15 years since Julia Roberts starred in the Oscar-winning tour de force, Erin Brockovich. The film turned an unknown legal researcher into a 20th century icon by showcasing how her dogged persistence was the impelling force behind the largest medical settlement lawsuit in history. Since then, Erin hasn’t been resting on her laurels…she continues to fight hard and win big!
This gutsy broad doesn’t apologize for who she is. She has always loved going head to head with the big boys and was never intimated by their bravado. She learned how to come out on top from her tight-knit mid-western family in Lawrence, Kansas. Erin was the youngest child of an industrial engineer father and journalist mother. Her parents always believed that she could do anything she set her mind to if she learned to focus her amazing energy.
After a few years roaming around at various colleges, Erin decided that she wanted to be a California girl. She first landed a job as a management trainee for K-Mart, but when that didn’t make her swagger, she decided to study electrical engineering. But that wasn’t enough for the Kansas beauty. On a fluke, she entered the Miss Pacific Coast beauty pageant, and, not surprisingly, won the title. When she realized that beauty pageants weren’t her thing, Erin, her husband, and her two children settled in Reno, Nevada. After divorcing, the single mother became a secretary at a brokerage firm where she met and married her second husband. But that marriage was short lived, and the now mother of three was solo again.
Up until this point, Erin was the average divorced single mother trying to make a living, until she crossed paths with lawyer, Ed Masry, and this meeting changed the course of both of their lives.
After being seriously injured in a traffic accident in Reno, Erin moved back to California’s San Fernando Valley and hired Masry & Vititoe to represent her. They won a small settlement, but she still needed work, so she got a job at the law firm as a file clerk. It was while organizing papers on a pro bono real estate case that Erin first found medical records that would explode into the largest direct action lawsuit in US history.
Erin’s exhaustive investigation uncovered that Pacific Gas & Electric had been poisoning the small town of Hinkley’s Water for over 30 years. It was because of Erin’s unwavering tenacity that PG&E had now been exposed for leaking toxic Chromium 6 into the ground water. This poison affected the health of the population of Hinkley. In 1996, as a result of the largest direct action lawsuit of its kind, spearheaded by Erin and Ed Masry, the utility giant was forced to pay out the largest toxic tort injury settlement in US history: $333 million in damages to more than 600 Hinkley residents.
The story and eventual film made “Erin Brockovich” a household name. Over time, Erin realized that she could use her notoriety to spread positive messages of personal empowerment and to encourage others to stand up and make a difference.
Brett Keisel
Brett Keisel grew up on a cattle ranch near Greybull, Wyoming a town of 1,800 people located between Yellowstone National Park and Bighorn National Forest. He is a 1997 graduate of Greybull High School where he was a 2x letterman in track, and a 4x letterman in basketball and football. Brett was not only a multi-sport athlete he was a two-way player in football. In his senior year at Greybull, Brett caught 53 passes for 1,092 yards; led his team with 113 tackles; threw two option passes for TD’s; scored 130 points; and, was named Wyoming’s High School Football Player-of-the-Year by USA Today.
Brett thought about playing collegiate basketball after high school, but he also thought, at 6’5”, he was too small to ever play professionally. He thus decided to attend Brigham Young University in Provo, UT and to play football. Brett red-shirted his freshman year at BYU and played tight end in his sophomore season. He then transferred to Snow College in Ephraim, UT and switched to defensive end. He returned to BYU, for his junior and senior year. In two seasons at BYU, Brett recorded 66 tackles (19 behind the line of scrimmage), and 9 sacks. He also received an honorable mention for the Mountain West All Conference Team.
In 2002 the Steelers drafted Brett with the 242nd pick in the 7th round. Brett spent the early portion of his career on special teams where he exceled covering kicks and blocking for returners. In 2005, he worked his way into a rotation with Aaron Smith and Kimo Von Olhoffen. Brett made significant plays in the Steelers run to Super Bowl XL that year that garnered him capable to take over the starting role at defensive end in 2006. He stayed there until 2015 and started over 100 games. He was part of a defense that got the name Steel Curtain II, which was as dominant as the original Steel Curtain of the 1970’s. In 2010 they held opponents to an NFL best and Steelers team record, 62.8 rushing yards per game. Brett was a Pro Bowler, Defensive Captain, 2X Super Bowl Champion, 3X AFC Champion. He had 421 tackles, 30 quarterback sacks, 2 interceptions, one of which he returned 79 yards for a touchdown!
Brett’s teammates have called him a leader and warrior; a player who gave everything he had; a true Steeler who was instrumental to the team’s success. Brett has been a leader in the community too. He has hosted and supports a wide range of charitable causes including Project Bundle Up, the Cystic Fibrosis 65 Roses Sports Auction, the Homeless Children’s Education Fund, Operation Once in A Lifetime and many others. He also still lends support to programs back in Greybull, WY. Another small thing that speaks volumes is this: when the Steelers visited Baltimore to play the Ravens, Brett was approached about visiting wounded warriors at Walter Reed Medical Center. He didn’t hesitate. He joined a contingent that included teammates Heath Miller, Troy Polamalu, Ike Taylor as well as Steelers Chairman Dan Rooney, Sr. and team President Art Rooney, II. Afterwards, he said “Having the opportunity to meet these men and women who have made such a sacrifice, they have lost limbs, and they have lost brothers, sister, friends fighting for our country. It’s eye-opening and focusing as far as what is important in life.”
Brett’s involvement in the community is well known. So, is his thick, flowing beard. “Da Beard” is so famous that it has its own Facebook page and a dedicated website (www.dabeard.com). There are also songs and videos. “Da Beard’s” annual spring shearing has even become a headline event that has raised over a half a million dollars to help kids with cancer at the Children’s Hospital of UPMC. Brett was inspired by teammate Aaron Smith’s son, Elijah, who was diagnosed with Leukemia in 2008 and has since made a full recovery. Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh holds a special place in Brett’s heart and he enjoys visiting with the patients.
Following football Brett passed on offers to get into coaching and media instead he chose a new career path and launched Mighty Oak Adventures in 2016. Seamlessly blending his passion for creating unity within a group and his admiration for anything involving the great outdoors. The company serves as a unique outlet for corporations who are looking to connect on a different level and boost team moral. Brett shares his experiences from the gridiron and being a Super Bowl Champion.
Brett Keisel, #99, has endeared himself to Steelers Nation. Brett is married to his high school sweetheart, Sarah. They live in Pittsburgh with their three children, Jacob, Grace and Will.
