Jeff Benedict

Jeffrey David Rowley Benedict (born 1966) is an author, teacher, and public speaker. He is a distinguished professor at Southern Virginia University, teaching classes on writing in the mass media and contemporary issues. He is a special features writer for Sports Illustrated magazine and has authored several best-selling nonfiction books, including five on athletics and crime.

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Benedict speaks to college students about his book "Poisoned"

Biography

Benedict has a B.A. in history from Eastern Connecticut State University, an M.A. in Political History from Northeastern University and a J.D. from the New England College of Law.

Benedict is a practicing member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon or LDS Church). He and his wife, Lydia Hansen Benedict, have four children.

In 2002 Benedict campaigned for Connecticut's 2nd congressional district, on a platform opposed to expanding gambling in the state. He failed to win the Democratic nomination, which went to Joe Courtney.

In 2007 Benedict and his family moved to the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, where he now teaches Writing and Mass Media at Southern Virginia University.

Publications

Benedict became noted for conducting the first national study on sexual assault and athletes. Over the years he has become recognized as the leading authority on the issue, and continues to speak and write about it to this day.

Aside from athletes and sexual abuse, Benedict has written on topics such as Indian casinos, eminent domain,family values and ethics in business. He blogs on many of these issues on his website.

Benedict also continues to write for Sports Illustrated's website, SI.com, where he discusses issues concerning athletes and crime.

Some of Benedict's other books include Without Reservation: How a Controversial Indian Tribe Rose to Power and Built the World’s Largest Casino; The Mormon Way of Doing Business: How Eight Western Boys Reached the Top of Corporate America; and Little Pink House: A True Story of Defiance and Courage.

His most recent book, Poisoned: The True Story of the Deadly E. Coli Outbreak That Changed the Way Americans Eat, details the story of Bill Marler's work on the Jack in the Box restaurant chain's E. Coli scandal.

Other recent projects include producing a documentary about RC Willey Home Furnishings based on his book How to Build a Business Warren Buffett Would Buy, and a book telling the story of an Islamic fundamentalist who converts to Christianity and is imprisoned as an infidel.

External links

• Benedict's website
• Benedict's faculty page at Southern Virginia University
• Benedict's articles published in Sports Illustrated
• Benedict's articles published in the Deseret News
• 'Poisoned' book excerpt: 'Where Did Your Child Eat?', Deseret News, May 13, 2011.
• Amazon.com listing for Benedict
• enotalone.com, short bio on Benedict.
• Review of Little Pink House at Open Letters