HACKETTSTOWN, NJ (Warren County) – Kristen M. Toepfer, of Hackettstown has been honored as a Woman of the Month for March 2023 by P.O.W.E.R. (Professional Organization of Women of Excellence Recognized) for her outstanding contributions and great success in the fields of nonprofit and volunteering.
Toepfer is a consultant, speaker, and survivor. One day, she was walking the runway for Supermodels Unlimited Magazine during New York Fashion Week. The next, she suffered a massive hemorrhagic stroke, brain swelling, fell into a coma, and subsequently underwent numerous brain surgeries.
Since then, Kristen has fought her way back to health and draws from her experience to help others who have undergone similar circumstances. She is an advocate for stroke victims and those with aphasia. She also wants to help families and caregivers to understand what we are going through.
“I became a stroke and aphasia advocate because of the life changing situation that happened to me in 2018. I was in a coma and then had eight brain surgeries. I couldn’t talk for two years,” said Toepfer. “It became my mission to spread awareness.”
Kristen received an A.S. in Liberal Arts from Sussex County Community College. Prior to becoming a speaker, she worked for UPS for 20 year as an industrial engineer.
In 2021, Kristen was nominated a Stroke Hero by the Stroke Foundation. She belongs to Supermodels Unlimited and won the Director’s Award for the Mrs. New Jersey America Pageant in 2022. She has started a podcast, “From the funny to the yucky, NO holding back,” and she will be launching her website, kristentoepfer.com shortly. Kristen also wrote a children’s book, entitled, “My Aunt has a Boo Boo on her Brain” which is soon to be published.
In her spare time Kristen enjoys hiking and outdoor activities, modeling and pageants.
P.O.W.E.R.-Professional Organization of Women of Excellence Recognized is an organization and an online community. P.O.W.E.R. Magazine is a digital and exclusive print magazine featuring celebrities and everyday hardworking professional women. Our mission is to provide a powerful network of women who will mentor, inspire, and empower each other to be the best they can be. Through our valuable services and collaborating with like-minded professionals, our members can potentially gain the recognition and exposure they deserve, as well as obtain knowledge from those who have already achieved success.
