Lori Gertz was born and raised in Western Massachusetts. A writer since she was six, her love for proverbial ink on paper led her to a 14 year magazine publishing career followed by 15 more years running her own strategic marketing company, Freakin' Genius Marketing. She received her bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude. She is the author of a newly released memoir about her journey with her adoptive daughter entitled, When Mama Can't Kiss it Better: A Journey of Unconditional love, loss and Acceptance, the Amazon bestseller, Be the News: A Guide to Going Viral with Your Human Interest Story, several longstanding blogs, multiple published articles and is a national advocate for the awareness of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.