Meet Stephanie

Stephanie Jean Fitzgerald is a U.S. Army veteran who served overseas during Operation Iraqi Freedom, an author, faith-based speaker, recovery leader, and founder and president of Freedom Life Compass.

Stephanie grew up in a home where addiction, dysfunction, and chaos were normal. She dropped out of school in the ninth grade and spent nearly two decades struggling with addiction, trauma, and destructive choices. At 30 years old, she encountered Jesus and began a journey of recovery that would transform her life, restore her family, and reveal a greater purpose for her pain.

Stephanie went on to complete criminal justice training and graduate magna cum laude with a degree in Business Management from Northwest Florida State College. After more than a decade in corporate key account development with Coca-Cola UNITED, she left corporate life in 2023 to answer God’s call into full-time ministry and community service.

Today, the work that began with Stephanie’s personal story has grown into Freedom Life Compass, the Freedom Houses, Freedom Farms, and the Freedom Network. She also serves as Recovery Minister at Crosspoint Church, a state representative for Celebrate Recovery Inside Jails and Prisons, and the Northwest Florida point of contact for Broken Chains J.C.

As the author of COURAGEOUS: A Life Redeemed by Grace—Finding Healing and Purpose in Pain, Stephanie shares an honest message of faith, healing, and hope: your past does not have to define your future, your pain does not have to be wasted, and nothing is too broken for God to redeem.