Sarah Edmondson gained renown for her role in exposing the NXIVM cult.

Why you should listen

Sarah Edmondson is a Canadian actress and voice-over artist who has starred in multiple TV series and more than a dozen films. Her whistleblower story following her departure from the notorious cult NXIVM is chronicled in her memoir, Scarred: The True Story of How I Escaped NXIVM, the Cult that Bound My Life; the CBC podcast Uncover: Escaping NXIVM; and the critically acclaimed HBO documentary series The Vow. Her podcast, A Little Bit Culty, cohosted by her husband and fellow NXIVM whistleblower Anthony “Nippy” Ames, explores the fads, beliefs and trends that blur the line between devotion and dysfunction. They aim to help people understand, heal from and avoid abusive situations. Besides her work as an actor and podcaster, Edmondson attends conferences and events as a speaker, host and cult-recovery advocate.

Sarah Edmondson’s TED talk