Chicago, Dec. 19, 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 the addition of six new members to its national board of directors: Sanford Bohrer, Molly Campbell, Thomas Carhart, Danielle Laraque-Arena, Jodi Scheurenbrand, and Bernardo Wolfson.
“Prevention happens in partnership, and I’m honored to partner with this distinguished group of talented and respected individuals in creating the conditions for safe, stable and nurturing relationships and environments that help children, families and communities across the country thrive,” explained PCA America President & CEO Dr. Melissa Merrick.
Abridged biographies for the six new board members follow (unabridged versions can be found on the PCA America website):
- Bohrer is a senior partner in the law firm of Holland & Knight, in the company’s Miami office. He is co-chair of the firm’s media law practice and served for many years as head of the firm’s litigation section’s pro bono practice. He has represented The Miami Herald and Miami New Times for decades, in addition to representing dozens of other broadcasters, authors and publishers on matters covering the entire spectrum of media law. He is presently teaching “Intolerance and the Media” and “Children and the Media” at the University of Miami’s School of Communications.
- Campbell is a 2019 Harvard University Advanced Leadership Initiative fellow and a former director of the Port of New York and New Jersey, the largest port on the east coast and the third largest port in the United States, where she oversaw record cargo volumes and achieved major milestones, including the Bayonne Bridge Navigational Clearance Project. She joined the Port Authority after a nearly 30-year career with the City of Los Angeles, where she held various high-profile roles and was responsible for the creation of the first department of Environmental Affairs.
- Carhart is the founding principal of South Street Advisors LLC, a New York-based registered investment advisor, and has had a long career in managing equity and fixed-income portfolios, especially for nonprofit institutions. In addition to serving on the PCA America board, he is a board member of Arts for Art, in New York City, and has served on the boards of Antioch College, where he received his bachelor’s degree, the Maternity Center Association and the New York Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children.
- Laraque-Arena is a senior scholar-in-residence at the New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM) and former president and professor emerita of SUNY Upstate Medical University. At NYAM she is keenly focused on maternal and child health equity and the development of a framework of equity for institutions and communities. She is board certified in pediatrics and in child abuse pediatrics, and her scholarly work has encompassed injury prevention—especially related to penetrating trauma, education of the next generation of academic generalists and child abuse pediatricians, mental health integration in primary care settings, adolescent health risk behaviors and education and research in global health settings.
- Scheurenbrand has more than 30 years of financial leadership experience in diverse industries, including as the treasurer of Toys R Us, strategic planning director for RJR Nabisco and senior vice president and controller of Atari. Most recently, she has served as the CFO of private schools in New York City and as the national vice president of finance for Kappa Delta Sorority, a long-time partner of PCA America.
- Wolfson has lived in Brazil, Cuba, Curacao, Mexico, Venezuela and the United States and has more than 30 years of experience as a CEO, growing businesses and managing teams across Latin America and Europe for companies such as Proctor & Gamble, Quaker Oats Company and Melitta South America. Currently, he is the founder and CEO of Realize, LLC, a life and career coaching company. He also mentors startups at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Florida International University and sits on the board of the YMCA of South Palm Beach County.
“I’d like to welcome our new directors, who bring deep expertise across multiple disciplines and a passion for our cause to our board.” stated PCA America Board Chair Andrea Robertson. “Working together with the PCA America team and the rest of the board, they will help us meet our goal of preventing the abuse and neglect of our nation’s children.”
About Prevent Child Abuse America
Founded in 1972, Prevent Child Abuse America is a national organization with chapters in 48 states and nearly 600 Healthy Families America home visiting 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. Prevent Child Abuse America is rated as one of the top charities for children by Consumer Reports and numerous charity oversight organizations, including Charity Navigator, GreatNonprofits and GuideStar. Visit preventchildabuse.org to learn more.
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