When a catastrophic brain injury changed her family’s life without warning, Erin Palmer discovered that resilience is not simply an individual strength, it is built through connection, practical support, and people willing to show up. Drawing from her experience as a mother, caregiver, advocate, and co-founder of NeuroMoms Collective, Erin shares an honest and hopeful story about navigating crisis, finding purpose after trauma, and transforming one family’s experience into meaningful support for others. Her talk invites audiences to consider the powerful role service organizations and community members can play during the moments when families need them most.
About us: The Rotary Club of Wilsonville meets weekly Thursdays at noon to carry out its purpose of providing service and fellowship to members and the Wilsonville community. Guests are welcome. Lunch is available off the menu; please arrive and order by 11:45 a.m. if you are ordering lunch. For more information, email president@wilsonvillerotary.com.
Official bio: Erin Palmer is a professional speaker, wine educator, podcast host, and co-founder of NeuroMoms Collective, a nonprofit supporting families affected by traumatic and acquired brain injuries. After her adult son survived a catastrophic brain injury in 2022, Erin transformed her family’s experience into advocacy and practical support for other caregivers. Through NeuroMoms Collective, she helps provide Comfort Kits to families arriving in intensive care, produces the Lights On podcast, and works to build more informed and compassionate communities for brain injury survivors and those who care for them. Erin is also a longtime wine culture and history instructor at Portland Community College and the owner of PDX Wine Events. A former Rotarian, she brings more than 25 years of experience in education, storytelling, community engagement, and public speaking to her work.
