Meet Our Founder đź’š

Meet Our Founder đź’š

Marsha Woodland

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Marsha Woodland *

Marsha Woodland, Founder of Building Bridges Foundation

Marsha Woodland is a nationally recognized advocate, certified trainer, and public speaker with more than 20 years of experience in trauma recovery, domestic violence prevention, and behavioral health advocacy. As a survivor and expert in trauma-informed systems, she brings a unique lens that bridges personal lived experience with policy-driven, systemic change.


In 2008, Marsha founded Building Bridges Foundation (BBF) with a mission to create safe, healing-centered spaces for survivors and underserved communities. Under her leadership, BBF has become a trusted provider of direct services, education, and capacity-building initiatives across the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia region. Since its inception, BBF has been featured on Fox 5 News, WHUR 96.3, and other major platforms for its work dismantling stigma and elevating survivor voices.


Marsha is a sought-after consultant and subject matter expert for key national organizations, including the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD), and the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. Her work focuses on advancing equity in behavioral health, integrating trauma-informed approaches, and strengthening community response systems.


A passionate storyteller and systems thinker, Marsha continues to lead BBF with a steadfast commitment to helping individuals reclaim their voices, restore their dignity, and rebuild their lives.

Featured
Building Bridges Foundation
Building Bridges Foundation

Marsha Woodland, Founder of Building Bridges Foundation, opens up about her personal journey through trauma and recovery, and highlights the importance of therapeutic, peer-led, and trauma-informed care for supporting survivors.

In this compelling video, Marsha Woodland, Founder and President of Building Bridges Foundation, shares her lived experiences in recovery and trauma. Discover how trauma-informed services and peer support are transforming lives and empowering survivors.

Building Bridges Foundation Honored on FOX 5 DC for Community Impact
Building Bridges Foundation Honored on FOX 5 DC for Community Impact

Founder Marsha Woodland accepts a community donation while sharing Building Bridges Foundation’s mission to support survivors of domestic and community violence. She reflects on her personal journey, BBF’s trauma-informed roots, and the organization’s impact across DC, Maryland, and Virginia.

In this powerful segment from FOX 5 DC, Building Bridges Foundation founder Marsha Woodland accepts a generous community donation while sharing the heart behind the organization’s mission. She speaks candidly about her personal journey, the trauma-informed roots of BBF, and how the organization continues to uplift survivors of domestic and community violence across the DC, Maryland, and Virginia region. With compassion and clarity, Marsha highlights the critical work BBF is doing to provide crisis intervention, advocacy, and healing-centered support for those impacted by interpersonal violence. This video is a testament to BBF’s impact, resilience, and continued commitment to building safer, more connected communities.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND THE DIDDY VIDEO
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND THE DIDDY VIDEO

Marsha Woodland join’s WHUR’s Harold Fisher to discuss Sean “Diddy” Combs’ abuse of Cassie Ventura, the silence around domestic violence, and what it reveals about systemic harm in the Black community. The conversation unpacks trauma, power, and the importance of survivor-centered care.

In this impactful WHUR segment, host Harold Fisher is joined by Marsha Woodland, founder of Building Bridges Foundation, and Karma Cottman, executive director of the Ujima Coalition, to discuss the broader implications of domestic violence in the Black community. The conversation centers around the disturbing footage of music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs physically assaulting his then-girlfriend, singer Cassie Ventura, and the systemic silence that often surrounds intimate partner violence—especially when it involves powerful men.

Marsha Woodland shares insights from her lived experience and professional work with survivors, offering a trauma-informed perspective on how abuse often escalates and why many victims do not come forward immediately. Karma Cottman adds a policy and advocacy lens, emphasizing the need for accountability, community education, and dismantling cultural norms that normalize abuse.

Together, they discuss how this high-profile case mirrors the experiences of countless survivors and why public dialogue, empathy, and survivor-centered services are crucial to creating lasting change.