Chicago, March 21, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Prevent Child Abuse America (PCA America), the nation’s oldest and largest nonprofit organization dedicated to the primary prevention of child abuse and neglect, announced today that Steven Harris, a partner at the Chicago-based law firm McDonald Hopkins LLC, has joined its national board of directors. The organization also announced the following new appointments on the board: Andrea Robertson, retired group executive, corporate treasurer of MasterCard Worldwide (chair); Robert Mayo, co-founder and vice chairman emeritus of Cancer Treatment Centers of America (co-vice chair); and Dr. Bruce Perry, senior fellow at the ChildTrauma Academy (co-vice chair).
“Ensuring happy, healthy childhoods requires a team effort, and I’m thrilled to have such a talented roster of respected leaders guiding what we do,” said PCA America President & CEO Dan Duffy. “Each of these individuals brings deep and specific knowledge to our work, and their combined expertise in finance, governance, business, medicine, research and other fields will bolster our continued and strategic growth as an organization, allowing us to effectively and efficiently reach more children and families across the country and realize our collective vision of no child ever being abused or neglected.”
Harris, who served on his firm’s executive committee, has a national reputation as an advisor to business and professional organizations, counseling privately owned corporations and healthcare clients on contractual and regulatory issues, succession planning and related transactional matters. His civic duties include acting as mayor of the Village of Deerfield, Ill., and as a director of the Illinois State Tollway Authority.
Robertson, who has served seven years on PCA America’s national board and previous terms as treasurer, brings significant experience in finance, occupying diverse roles in multiple industries with an emphasis on risk management, and board governance. Prior to her time at MasterCard, Robertson was treasurer at RR Donnelley & Sons Company, held various finance roles at IBM Corporation and was an auditor with Coopers & Lybrand. She is currently an independent director of Clean Harbors, a premier provider of environmental, energy and industrial services. Robertson succeeded T.J. Fox, senior vice president of the wireless business group for Verizon, who remains on the board as immediate past chair.
“We all share the responsibility for the physical, emotional, and mental well-being of every child in this country, and PCA America is making tremendous strides in realizing this ambitious vision,” explained Robertson. “I’m excited to build on the foundation laid by T.J. and expand this important and impactful work with my fellow board members and the dedicated staff at PCA America.”
Over the past 30-plus years, Mayo, who co-founded Cancer Treatment Centers of America in 1988, has held positions of increasing responsibility at the company, including executive vice president and president and CEO. Mayo’s specific expertise is in the area of organizational growth and development, cancer program design and management, physician practice management, business development and mergers and acquisitions. Prior to Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Mayo had a distinguished and decorated 20-year career in the U.S. Navy, where he earned the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal and the Vietnam Service Medal. He is also a four-time recipient of the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal.
Joining Mayo as co-vice chair is Dr. Perry, a recognized national authority on child trauma and an adjunct professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Feinberg School of Medicine, at Northwestern University, in Chicago. Dr. Perry has consulted on many high-profile incidents involving traumatized children, including the Columbine High School shooting, in 1999, the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, in 2012, among others. Dr. Perry received his master’s and doctorate degrees from Northwestern University and completed a residency in general psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine and a fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry at the University of Chicago.
“With this extraordinary team in place, we will undoubtedly move closer to our ultimate goal of providing every child an equal and attainable opportunity for healthy growth and development,” added Robertson. “Our vision is a nation in which no child is ever abused or neglected, and we believe that with help from the public, policymakers and corporate partners this idea can become a reality.”
About Prevent Child Abuse America
Founded in 1972, Prevent Child Abuse America is a national organization with chapters in all 50 states and nearly 600 Healthy Families America home visitation sites throughout the country. It promotes services that improve child well-being and develops programs that help to prevent all types of abuse and neglect. Ninety-four cents of every dollar spent goes directly into programs and services, which is why it is rated as one of the top charities for children by Consumer Reports and charity oversight organizations, including Charity Navigator, GreatNonprofits and GuideStar. Visit preventchildabuse.org to learn more.