Denise Bradshaw – Founder of Resilience Collaborative

Denise Bradshaw grew up in the South, where disasters like river flooding, tornadoes, and fires were a part of everyday life—and so was poverty. Hardship was common, but so was grit. From an early age, she learned that survival meant failing, getting back up, and trying again. Every setback became a lesson in resilience and planning.

With nearly three decades of experience as a first responder and emergency planner, Denise saw a troubling reality: many people live in constant “survival mode,” unable to plan ahead or prepare for the future. At the same time, the rapid rise of technology has led to the loss of generational knowledge—skills like food storage, gardening, basic economics, survival techniques, knot making, and even credit recovery. These essential skills, once passed down through families, have faded in a world of convenience.

Denise believes that rebuilding these foundational skills is key to creating a truly resilient society. That vision gave birth to Resilience Collaborative—a movement dedicated to empowering individuals and families with the tools, knowledge, and confidence to thrive, not just survive.