Tracey Breeden

i’M tRACEY bREEDEN

Speaker, advisor, bestselling author, and wisdom keeper.

Women’s safety leader. Former law enforcement. Uber’s first Head of Women’s Safety.

My nickname is Tornado—because I create safe spaces for transformation and unleash the superheroes within.

you are the superhero you’ve been waiting for.

I believe purpose often reveals itself in difficulty, uncertainty, and the things that break our hearts. Where is your heart pulling you to act? I help you follow that pull, step into your personal power, and awaken the inner superhero ready to rise.

From ceremonial circles to boardrooms, campuses, and conference stages, I share practical tools that protect people and help them grow. Whether I’m delivering a keynote on women’s safety, digital safety and leadership, advising an organization on the safety standards its people deserve, or guiding someone through ceremony rooted in my Cherokee and Choctaw lineage, my purpose is the same: standing for truth, protecting people, and helping them step into their power.

I live and lead from a place of unwavering hope. Where Indigenous teachings meet lessons from the street and the boardroom, we remember that healing is not only personal, it is communal. This is where we rise together, protecting and empowering each other, and building a world that reflects the dignity, equity, and possibility we all deserve.

Let's Talk Book Tracey To Speak

From Heartbreak to High-Stakes Safety: My Superhero Journey.

I grew up in rural Oklahoma, in a loving home shaped by a culture that often told me who I should be—and that who I was wasn’t enough. Like so many others, I internalized those messages. But it was in the breaking of my heart that I found my purpose and my power.

From that place, I rose—with hope, courage, and a fierce commitment to my values. I chose disruption over silence, and freedom over fear. This awakening took me on a transformative journey from small-town America working on my dad’s used car lot to law enforcement, to leading women’s safety at Uber, to leading safety as a VP at Match Group.

As a queer woman, leader, and wisdom keeper, I bridge the ancient wisdom of my Cherokee and Choctaw ancestry with proven expertise in protecting millions of people on rideshare and dating platforms—because true safety and empowerment require both real-world action and spiritual grounding.

Today, I still choose disruption and freedom—every single day. I create safe, sacred spaces for myself and for others, walking beside those who are seeking to rise, expand, and remember their own power and the power of our ancestors. Because together, we are not only capable of creating a better version of ourselves—we are capable of building a better world.

More About Me

books

ignite your personal power for a better self and a better world.

How do you take what is breaking your heart and turn that into action, achieving impactful and sustainable change? Match-Striking for Beginners: Activating Individual and Collective Power for a More Just World is your playbook to ignite power from the margin, inviting you to discover the pathway to a better self and a more just world by recognizing your personal power and unleashing the superhero within you.

In my best-selling book, your roadmap for individual and collective change, I draw on my own unique perspective and lived experience and share actionable steps I used to amplify my own personal power to create organizational and societal change.

#1 Amazon Bestseller in the categories of Workplace Behavior and Discrimination & Racism Studies

2025 British Business Book Awards finalist in the international category

Order Your Copy Now

Sometimes life throws you a bone; you meet a person who changes you for the better, who makes the world a better place and makes you believe you can leave a positive impact too. That’s Tracey Breeden. In the years I have known her, she has taught me how to not only approach change, but also to evoke it in ways that can make my world as a woman better for all of us.

Match-Striking for Beginners is one of the most important books I’ve had the honor of reading. I watched it grow from a flicker of an idea fueled by passion into the honest, thoughtful, raw, yet approachable, work it is now. This roadmap is filled with the truths that motivate us to want better for our world, as well as the ways in which we can do our part to get there.

I more than recommend, I insist.

– ginger scott, usa today, wall street journal and amazon bestselling author

“At Salesforce, I partnered with Tracey to build a company-level program from the ground up supporting employees impacted by sexual harassment and assault. Her strategy secured executive sponsorship, helped to establish critical resources for employees, and guided the work at every stage.”

— Sahar Samiei, CISM, Product & Enterprise Security Executive

Tracey Breeden is an exceptional Trust and Safety executive whose impact across complex, high-stakes consumer platforms speaks for itself. During her tenure leading Trust and Safety at Match Group, Tracey brought a rare combination of deep domain expertise, steadfast professionalism, and genuine passion to protecting users across an expansive portfolio of global brands.

Leading safety in the online dating industry presents uniquely delicate challenges, requiring a leader who can balance product innovation, user privacy, proactive risk mitigation, and empathetic crisis management. Tracey consistently proved to be the person you could rely on when facing the toughest operational and strategic hurdles.

She navigated cross-functional friction with composure, translating complex policy issues into actionable product frameworks and operational standards. Her ability to build external partnerships, guide policy evolution, and champion user well-being made her an invaluable asset to the executive team and the organization as a whole.

Any organization seeking an authentic, principled leader who commands trust, elevates standards, and delivers results in trust, safety, and operational governance would be fortunate to have Tracey at the helm.

-Ariel Charytan, CEO & Entrepreneur l Amazon, OkCupid, Audible, Hinge, Oyster

“When team engagement was low before her arrival, Tracey didn’t just push for better numbers. She empowered the people around her and worked side by side with all to rebuild momentum. Engagement rose significantly, and that energy drove the best results that our team had historically ever hit.”

— Jonathan Richardson, Senior Manager, Trust and Safety Investigations, Turo

“Tracey doesn’t just speak. She commands the room. … You didn’t just hear her message, you felt it.”

— Julie Cottineau, CEO, BrandTwist, and former VP of Brand, Virgin

“Few people bring her combination of frontline experience and big-picture vision to the work of keeping people safe.”

— Rachel Rudwall, Emmy-nominated producer and presenter, Explorers Club Fellow

“There’s a genuine sense of trust and loyalty she inspires, rooted in the confidence that she will advocate just as fiercely for her people as she does for the communities she works to protect.

If you spend any time with Tracey, one of the first things you will notice is the energy and conviction she brings to those around her. You walk away from a conversation with her feeling reinvigorated, inspired, and reminded of why the work matters in the first place. That ability to connect with people, elevate their sense of purpose, and inspire meaningful action is something I’ve rarely encountered in another leader.”

– Sarah Schol, Senior Manager at Uber

I am thrilled to see this book come to life! As someone who: 1) believes in Tracey’s vision, 2) needs inspiration to act, and 3) could use a framework for delivering on social change, this book is exactly what I (and so many others) need. The tools, the encouragement, the inspiration garnered from Tracey’s lived experiences and other anecdotes, all of it together in one place is going to provide so many people with opportunities to create social change— many who may not otherwise be able to deliver on it.

– Jessica Johnson, Director of Product at match group

“It is rare to find a leader who possesses such rich domain expertise alongside an extraordinary ability to captivate, unite, and inspire an audience.”

— Ceri Hunt, Senior Manager, Special Investigations & Law Enforcement Response, Turo

“Her leadership motivated me to go above and beyond, not because I had to, but because I wanted to.”

— Giorgio Maroki, Senior Product Manager, formerly Match Group

“Passionate, dynamic, interesting, informative, inclusive, and truly a compassionate speaker. She had us on our feet, interacting with each other, then gathering as a group with a sense of purpose and power! Love her!”

– Kathleen smith, retired school teacher and first disruptor

“Having attended and hosted over 100 retreats over the years, I was impressed by Tracey’s presence, wisdom and compassion. She guided us through a sunrise ceremony rooted in her Cherokee and Choctaw ancestral traditions and spiritual practice. It was both empowering and inspiring.”

— Kathy Parsons, Yoga & Wellness Retreat Strategist

“She listened carefully, welcomed challenging conversations, and moved quickly to translate our discussions into meaningful action. … I strongly recommend Tracey as a speaker, safety advisor, and strategic partner to all committed to meaningful, lasting change.”

— Tonya Lovelace, President & CEO, Lovelace Consulting Services

I Don’t Just Inspire, I Activate!

Keynotes & Speaking

I’ve protected women and vulnerable groups from a patrol car, a boardroom, and a product roadmap, and I bring all three to the stage. My keynotes inspire and empower every audience, especially women and traditionally marginalized communities, give audiences practical safety from the woman who built it at Uber and Match Group, and inspire leaders to build teams that believe in their mission, take care of each other, and rise together through uncertainty and change.

I’ve keynoted the New York Times Travel Show, Women’s Travel Fest, and the National Sexual Assault Conference. Along the way, I’ve helped reduce abusive messaging by 10%+, built safety programs across 700+ global markets, and supported federal legislation (Sami’s Law) that protects lives.

Signature keynotes: Care About the One · Lead Like You Mean It · Travel Boldly · Safe and Bold · Power and Hope

“I’ve had the pleasure of inviting her as a keynote speaker to several events and conferences I produced, and each time, I was blown away just watching her.” — Kelly Lewis, Founder and former CEO, Women’s Travel Fest

Learn More About My Keynotes & Programs

Ready to Build Safety People Can Trust?

Advising organizations

The people who rely on you deserve more than a promise. They deserve proof. I help organizations wherever people connect, from tech platforms, marketplaces, and travel companies to nonprofits and governments, meet a real standard of safety, build teams strong enough to carry the work, and earn the lasting trust of the people they serve.

I start by understanding how your organization actually operates, its people, culture, structure, and processes, and then give you a clear, prioritized plan to close the gaps. From there, I help you meet a real standard of safety, one I’ve built over more than 20 years of protecting people, that aligns with what safety experts, advocates and governments expect and delivers what the people you serve deserve. That includes the parts you may not yet know you need. And I won’t help anyone look safe without being safe.

14 years in law enforcement · Safety leader at Uber, Match Group, and Turo · 230+ advocacy organizations engaged

Tracey is an exceptional advisor who combines deep expertise, strategic thinking, and genuine compassion. … She rolls up her sleeves, navigates complexity, and turns difficult challenges into meaningful, actionable programs.” — Sahar Samiei, CISM, Product & Enterprise Security Executive

Learn More About Partnering With Me

Ready To Rise Through Transition and Uncertainty?

Rise Experiences

In the sacred desert landscapes, transformative retreat spaces, and even corporate offices, I create ceremonial nature-based experiences that awaken deep interconnectedness and offer soulful practices for navigating life’s uncertainties. These experiences blend ceremonial practices rooted in my Cherokee and Choctaw traditions with contemporary tools for healing and growth. Whether through intimate one-on-one desert ceremonies or immersive group experiences, I guide you through powerful rituals – from grief, rage and release ceremonies to celebrations of gratitude, power and hope – and can also customize ceremonies for your unique journey. You are welcome exactly as you are, and your beloved pets are welcome too. Together, we create a sacred space where you can release what no longer serves, restore, and rise with renewed strength and hope. This is where you learn to not just survive but thrive through difficulty, uncertainty, and the daily struggles of life, discovering the profound healing that comes from reconnecting with yourself, others, and the natural world.

Learn More Here

“She has the type of personality where she can be giving this speech right now to an executive team, but then—just have this fresh and on-the-ground approach with a grassroots organization because of her passion.”

—pamela zaballa, ceo of no more,

a global public awareness initiative to end domestic violence and sexual assault

From Crime Scenes to Corporate Boardrooms: A Safety Leader’s Journey

I’ve lived my life dedicated to serving and empowering people—from investigating the crimes that tech now works to prevent, to protecting millions of users at global scale, to guiding individuals through sacred ceremonies of transformation.

My journey from small-town Oklahoma to Silicon Valley leadership wasn’t just a career path—it was a calling to create safety and activate power wherever it’s needed most. As a Medal of Valor recipient who served 14 years in law enforcement specializing in sexual assault and domestic violence, I brought that frontline understanding of tech-facilitated abuse to the tech industry as Uber’s first Head of Women’s Safety and Gender-Based Violence. There, I conceived and built the company’s first global team dedicated to protecting women and vulnerable populations, pioneering digital and in real life safety initiatives across 6 continents and 700+ markets.

At Match Group—home to Tinder, Hinge, and OkCupid—I served as Vice President, Head of Safety and Social Advocacy, establishing the company’s first centralized Trust & Safety program focused on preventing tech-facilitated abuse and advancing digital safety. Leading a global team of experts across 15+ brands, I drove strategies that reduced abusive messaging by 10%+, while serving millions of users seeking connection.

Most recently, I led Trust & Safety at Turo, the global car-sharing marketplace, as Director of Marketplace Safety and then interim Head of Trust & Safety.

Along the way, I’ve led teams through crisis and change and built cultures where people do their best work, including a Match Group team that earned the company’s highest engagement scores with zero attrition.

But my work extends beyond corporate boardrooms. Rooted in my Cherokee and Choctaw ancestry, I bridge ancient wisdom with cutting-edge expertise, creating comprehensive approaches to safety, healing, and empowerment. Whether I’m delivering keynotes on digital safety, advising organizations on building protective cultures, or holding sacred space for individuals to release, restore, and rise, the foundation remains the same: creating safe spaces where people are empowered with the knowledge and practices they need to thrive.

Today, as founder and owner of Disrupt the Landing, LLC, I offer transformational speaking, strategic consulting, organizational safety assessments, and sacred ceremonial experiences for individuals, organizations ready to awaken their inner superhero and create lasting change. Because when we create safety for one, prioritizing the most vulnerable, we create safety for all.

– megan prichard, Chief growth officer virgin galactic

and former uber executive

Featured in top media outlets

Awards & Accolades

My mission-driven work in safety, social advocacy, and leadership has been recognized by numerous organizations and outlets, including Fast Company, where I was named to the Top 50 Queer List of queer women and nonbinary individuals transforming business; Mashable, where my Uber team’s work was recognized as 1 of “14 Innovations that helped make the world a better place in 2018”; and in policing, with the Chief’s Award for Excellence along with the highest public safety honor one can receive, the Medal of Valor.