Wendy Andersen

Background

About Wendy Andersen

Wendy Andersen was a wife. And a mom. She never meant to become A-Force-to-Be-Reckoned-With. But true to form, life didn’t go exactly as she planned. In 2009, fresh out of her Pilates class, she had to whisk her 3-year-old son, Dexter, off to the hospital after noticing some odd, not-so-normal jerky movements. After a revolving door of doctors and tests, Wendy’s “normal” life was turned upside down when Dexter was diagnosed with Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC). Overnight, Wendy had to recalibrate from defining normal as a setting on her washing machine to living a “New Normal” of navigating medical, educational and political systems that left her with crazy financial bills, six-inch thick stacks of forms to be filled out, and a whole lot of “I’m sorry that’s just the way it is." Becoming her own research consultant, she began to navigate the enormous uphill battle to rightfully obtain the care Dexter was legally entitled to—spending upwards of 40 hours a week trying to resolve a single billing issue or driving thousands miles to locate a doctor who knew his condition. Today, Wendy has three children with her husband, Bob—two of whom have special needs. She continues to redefine normal for herself and her family each day while also serving as an advocate, sounding board and voice for the thousands of families and children like hers. Sometimes she wishes it was as easy as tossing her frustrations with the current systems through the “normal” cycle of a washing machine to create her vision for a society that allows everyone to fully thrive. But she knows dreams like hers aren’t built on wishes. They are built on persistence. Faith. Action. She founded Dexter’s Dream, a non-profit dedicated to providing experiences for families of children with special needs so they too can live life having fun together. She was named to the Iowa Governor’s Board for Autism whose role is to offer advice, consult and give recommendations to the Governor and the Iowa legislature. She hosts the Wendy Andersen Presents Podcast. Wendy believes that families like hers are going to extraordinary lengths to provide for their children every day. She’s a sought-after speaker and panelist for her thoughtful insights and her ability to broker common sense solutions that are a win-win for everyone at the table. She’s a woman who isn’t afraid to speak truth to power or challenge the status quo if it means creating more equity and respect for all. In other words, she’s redefining normal. Not just for her own family. She’s redefining normal. Period.