2010 REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY

Preventing Violence Through Literacy

It is estimated that 93 million U.S. adults have basic and sub-basic literacy skills.

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The more than 1 million incarcerated adults in thenation had lower average literacy scores than adults in households on nearly every comparable scale (age,gender, educational attainment level, ethnicity).

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Adults who are literate are more likely to read to theirchildren, be employed full time, use the Internet and e-mail, vote and volunteer.

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Adults who live in poverty are more likely to have lowerliteracy scores than adults with higher incomes.

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Low literacy costs the U.S. $225 billion a year in nonproductivity in the workforce, crime and loss of taxrevenue due to unemployment.

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Compared to other industrialized nations, the U.S. ranksfifth on adult literacy skills.

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In the U.S., 14 percent of the adult population can’t readwell enough to understand a newspaper story writtenat the eighth grade level or fill out a job application.

Literacy FactsArt by Adreanna Virgil, 11th Grade Art by Tierra Dixon, 9th Grade Art by Kevinisha Jackson, 7th GradeYoung Women’s Academy for Academic and Civic Development at JRE Lee

Prevention Saves Lives and Money

Toothpaste, toothbrushes and dental floss don’t make a huge dent in the average person’s wallet. They aren’tfree, but we don’t skimp on them. That’sbecause the alternatives — dental procedures,oral surgery and dentures — can be prohibitivelyexpensive and painful.

Prevention is always a good idea. We are sosure of this that we’ve made it part of our name.

The Melissa Institute for Violence Preventionand Treatment was born out of a preventabletragedy that took the life of Melissa Aptman more than 14 years ago. The incident itself — acarjacking with fatal consequences — may nothave been foreseeable. But much of the underly-ing violence that touches the lives of too manyyoung people is preventable.

One major predictor of violence is relatedto literacy. If a child can read on grade levelby third grade, he or she rarely gets in troublewith the law later on. Up to 80 percent of violent juvenile offenders are functionally illiterate. And, in general, the lower the readingcomprehension rate, the more violent thebehavior.

The Institute has embarked on a major campaign to bring the proven and innovative literacy teaching methods of Institute ScientificBoard Member Dale Willows, Ph.D., intoevery elementary school classroom and

curriculum, and into the educational repertoireof every elementary school teacher everywhere.

That sounds like a tall order, particularly inchallenging economic times. But Dr. Willows’website on literacy will be an indispensabletool for all educators. Each ingredient of her“Balanced Literacy Diet” will be presented,including fascinating videos of successfulteaching methods in action.

In this report, you’ll learn more about Dr.Willows’ program. You’ll also learn about theInstitute’s other violence prevention initiativesfocused on bullying, domestic violence andpreventing post-traumatic stress disorder inreturning veterans.

But our literacy project is big. It has tobe. Because the stakes are so high, and thebenefits, when compared to the investment ofresources, can be enormous. We’ve alreadycommitted $250,000 to create the “BalancedLiteracy Diet” website, but we’re onlyhalfway to that goal.

A difficult economic environment onlycompounds the problem of violence. So ifanything, our needs — our community’s needs— are even greater. Just as you would continueto buy toothpaste and floss, it is important thatwe continue to invest in violence prevention.We ask for your continued support.

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If you knew you could prevent violence simply by teaching children to read, would you do it?The concept is pretty straightforward.

Children who learn to read and write well bythird grade will almost always finish highschool. And children who have low readingscores in grades K–3 have problems down the road with poor grades, failing a grade,dropping out of school, drug abuse, earlypregnancy, delinquency and unemployment.

While the idea of violence preventionthrough literacy may be a simple concept,implementing it is far from simple.

“Many teacher education programs havenot prepared educators with sufficient depthof understanding to effectively implementmultilevel reading and writing programs,”said Dale Willows, Ph.D., internationallyacclaimed reading expert and ScientificBoard member. “As a result, many already-at-risk students are launched into a trajectory

of failure as early as kindergarten. Some willnever recover.” According to research, whenteachers’ knowledge base and skills increase,student achievement increases.

Poor comprehension skills don’t justaffect children in class. They make otherareas of study — math, science, history —more difficult to master. By high school, astudent who lacks literacy skills will developlow self-esteem and feel that there’s no wayto keep up with classmates. When this happens,antisocial behavior is often the result.

What educators need today is a powerful,convenient and inexpensive way to learninnovative methods for teaching reading andwriting to children who come from diverseeconomic and ethnic backgrounds. Dr.Willows’ “Balanced Literacy Diet” is thatmethod, and The Melissa Institute’s proposedliteracy website, being developed in conjunc-tion with Dr. Willows, will be the tool thatteachers everywhere can use. Carolina

Do You Read Me? Preventing Violence Through Literacy

State Representative Erik Fresen, District 111, works with aHialeah Elementary School student.

Natalie Wagner, lead reading teacher, Hialeah Elementary School; Frank

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Naveiras, principal of Hialeah ElementarySchool, knows this from experience.

“In 2002, I was approached by the schooldistrict to try the ‘Balanced Literacy Diet’program,” Ms. Naveiras said. “Dr. Willowsmade a big impression on me, and the program has made an enormous impact onour students. I inherited a ‘D’ school. We’renow an ‘A’ school, two years in a row.

“Most of the children in this school speak Spanish as their first language. We’veimplemented the program in both Spanishand English. Staff members, including ourreading coach, Natalie Wagner, have reallyembraced this innovative approach,” Ms.Naveiras explained. “One major benefit isthat the ‘Balanced Literacy Diet’ has enabledSpanish-speaking students to score well onEnglish-language FCAT exams. Dr. Willowsand The Melissa Institute helped make thispossible.”

DeLaurier, Ed.D., Melissa Institute Executive Director; Representative Erik Fresen; and Dale Willows, Ph.D.

Literacy expert Dale Willows, Ph.D., one-on-one witha Hialeah Elementary School student.

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Founders, presentersand Scientific Boardmembers: Front row,left to right: Suzanne L. Keeley, Ph.D., DebraPepler, Ph.D., WendyCraig, Ph.D., and LynnAptman. Back row:Donald Meichenbaum,Ph.D., Jim Larson, Ph.D.,and Michael Aptman,M.D.

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implement a policy that prohibits bullying inschools — and on computers, otherwiseknown as “cyberbullying.”

Cyberbullying is thought to affect asmany as half of the country’s teenagers. Itseffects can be worse than physical intimidation,and it can have devastating effects on its victims.

It can be perpetrated through e-mails, textmessages, instant messaging, websites, blogsand other Internet-based social media. Thosewho engage in cyberbullying can remainanonymous and the instantaneous and globalnature of technology can mean that, for thevictim, there is no place to hide. No escape.The relentlessness and pervasiveness of acyberbullying attack can be devastating for ateen or preteen. In some cases, it has led to suicide. And because it involves children whoare especially well-connected through socialnetworking technology, cyberbullying tendsto affect more-affluent families.

The Melissa Institute hosted a conferencein November 2008 on bullying prevention.Cyberbullying was one of the many timely

Bullying: Cyberspace Is the Real World

When you hear the word “bully,” it may evoke a clear picture in your mind. If you’re like mostpeople, you think of a big, powerful kidpushing a smaller kid, perhaps taking hislunch money or knocking his books to theground. And, possibly, you think it’s just acase of kids being kids and, therefore, nothingto be too concerned about.

It’s time to think again about bullying.Bullying and victimization are violence

prevention issues. The need to address bully-ing in schools is a real one, and has beenacknowledged as such by the FloridaLegislature, which passed the “JeffreyJohnson Stand Up for All Students Act”(SB790 CH 2008-123) in 2008. The MelissaInstitute has played a large part in raisingawareness of bullying as a violence issue, andhas collaborated with Miami-Dade CountyPublic Schools and community organizationsto change the way bullying is viewed anddealt with. Last year, Florida’s new SafeSchool Act mandated that each school district

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Research Director DonaldMeichenbaum, Ph.D., addresses conference attendees.

topics covered. Expert presenters includedWendy Craig, Ph.D., professor of psychologyat Queen’s University, Ontario; and DebraPepler, Ph.D., professor of psychology atYork University, Ontario. Drs. Craig andPepler, both members of the Scientific Boardof The Melissa Institute, have worked togetherfor 20 years addressing bullying and aggres-sion. Their work as co-directors of Canada’snational bullying prevention initiative hasculminated in an innovative new website,PREVnet.ca.

Institute Research Director DonaldMeichenbaum, Ph.D., and Scientific Boardmember Jim Larson, Ph.D., also shared theirexpertise with the audience of educators,administrators, social workers, psychologists,judges and law enforcement personnel. Theyhave collaborated to create practical guide-lines to reduce bullying, which can be foundat teachsafeschools.org, The Melissa Institute’seducators’ website.

During the past year, Drs. Pepler andCraig each conducted bullying preventionconferences and workshops for students andschool counselors, including one at a schoolin Palm Beach County. Dr. Larson providedconsultation services and faculty presentationsfor local high schools working to improvediscipline and reduce risk factors.

Victim Assistance Center in Miami, and oneof the Institute’s presenters. “Compare it tosmoking. Once, smoking was featured associally acceptable in our society. Now it isacknowledged as harmful and has becomeunacceptable behavior. The same paradigm istrue for batterers. We realize that masculinityhas no connection with abusive or violentbehavior. We cannot look the other way andview domestic violence as acceptable in anycommunity or culture anymore.”

Donald Meichenbaum, Ph.D., InstituteResearch Director, and Etiony Aldarondo,Ph.D., Scientific Board member, discussedthe need for a coordinated approach to inter-vention and prosecution between all agencies,and the need to understand why domesticabuse happens.

Melissa Institute President Suzanne L.Keeley, Ph.D., summed up the purpose of themeeting. “We see this as the beginning of adialog,” she told the attendees. “We want tobe of service to you, just as you provide aservice to the community.”

Scientific Board member Etiony Aldarondo,Scientific Board member Guerda Nicolas, Ph.D.

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Domestic Violence: Terrorism at Home

Terrorism is the use of violence and intimidation to achieve or maintain control. It rarely comes from a position of power or strength. It is often usedbecause the perpetrator does not have theskills to approach a situation in a nonviolentway, perhaps because he himself has been thevictim of such abuse in the past.

We might be talking about internationalterrorism. But the same paradigm can be usedto view domestic violence. One in fourfemales in the U.S. will be sexually or physi-cally abused in their lives. A female partner isassaulted, on average, every 15 seconds.

In September 2009, The Melissa Instituteconvened an Intimate Partner TrainingProgram at the office of Katherine FernandezRundle, Miami-Dade State Attorney. Morethan 150 people attended the conference,including prosecutors, law enforcement personnel, psychologists and staff from theState Attorney’s Office Domestic Crimes andSexual Battery and Child Exploitation Units.

“Domestic violence is a learned behavior,”said Ivon Mesa, Director of the Coordinated

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Suicide Prevention for Returning Veterans

Last December, Institute Research Director Donald Meichenbaum, Ph.D.,conducted a training session withmental health professionals on staff at theVeterans Affairs Medical Center in West PalmBeach. The seminar addressed the problems faced by returning combat veterans and offeredways to help them overcome post-traumaticstress disorder (PTSD) and to reduce suicidelevels. There are cascading consequences whena veteran’s PTSD and depression are untreatedor undertreated. Suicide, family violence, drugabuse and unemployment are consequencesthat affect individuals and our communities.

Mental health professionals on staff at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center inWest Palm Beach learn about suicide prevention in returning combat veterans.

Ivon Mesa, MPA, Director, Miami-Dade CountyDepartment of Human Services’ CoordinatedVictims Assistance Center and Domestic ViolenceIntake Units.

Ph.D.

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professor at Rutgers University; and PriscillaDass-Brailsford, Ed.D., a native SouthAfrican and associate professor at LesleyUniversity. Etiony Aldarondo, Ph.D, andGuerda Nicolas, Ph.D., joined the panel ofexperts. Drs. Meichenbaum and Keeley moderated the event.

May conference attendees and participants: Front — Ora Prilleltensky, Ph.D.;Back, left to right — Grace Carricarte, MS.Ed., Isaac Prilleltensky, Ph.D., GuerdaNicolas, Ph.D., Suzanne L. Keeley, Ph.D., and Etiony Aldarondo, Ph.D.

Guillermo Bernal, Ph.D. Guerda Nicolas, Ph.D.

‘Race, Ethnicity and Mental Health’

By 2050, almost half of the U.S. population will consist of people who are now members of ethnicminorities. In recognition of this trend, severalhundred psychologists, educators, counselorsand child development specialists attended The Melissa Institute’s 13th annual May conference, “Race, Ethnicity and MentalHealth: Treatment Innovations and CulturalAdaptations of Evidence-based Interventions.”The meeting addressed the urgent need forimproved cultural sensitivity and competencewhen providing treatment to people from ethnically diverse populations.

We were fortunate to have the participationof guest presenters Guillermo Bernal, Ph.D.,Director of the Institute for PsychologicalResearch at the University of Puerto Rico; Nancy Boyd-Franklin, Ph.D., author and

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ACT Against Violence

We know children don’t come with an instruction manual. Parents Raising Safe Kids isan innovative curriculum that offers instructive solutions and educationalinformation designed to improve skills of parents and caregivers of children ages 0-8. The American Psychological Association developedthe Adults and Children Together (ACT) Against Violence/ParentsRaising Safe Kids program to help parents and caregivers create safe and healthy environments that protect children and youth from violence. The program is delivered by the ACT facilitators — trainedand certified professionals such as social workers, early childhoodeducators, psychologists and nurses. When parents know better theycan do better. ACT facilitators help parents gain a basic understandingof child development. They learn how to control their anger andresolve disagreements peacefully, avoid hitting or spanking their children and protect young children from violent TV shows, videogames and movies. The Melissa Institute is the ACT SoutheasternRegional Center, which includes coordinators and facilitators inAlabama, Arkansas, Florida, North Carolina and Texas.

Mark Your CalendarMay 7, 2010The topic of the 14th annual conference

will be “Adolescent Depression and

Suicide: Screening, Assessment

and Intervention.” The conference is

sponsored by the Ganley Foundation.

Donald Meichenbaum, Ph.D. Suzanne L. Keeley, Ph.D. Priscilla Dass-Brailsford, Ed.D.

Trish Ramsay, Education Director, talks to conference attendees.

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Lynn and Michael Aptman, M.D., share a dance at Peace and Harmony.

Joe and Sharon Lombardo, and Patricia and Henry Tie-Shue.

Barry Katzen, M.D., Jon Messinger, M.D., Alyse Messinger and NeilMessinger, M.D.

Zulema Melcon, Brian Carricarte, Jennifer Carricarte Penton andGrace Carricarte.

Peace and Harmony

Institute supporters raised more than $50,000 at “An Evening of Peace and Harmony: Musicfor a Better World.” The annual fundraising concert in March featured a performance by The Garage Band, who played music of the ’50s and ’60s. The event was co-chaired by LeslieBuchanan with Penn and Sheila Chabrow. Grace Carricarte was chair of the silent auction.

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2009 Scholarship AwardsThe Melissa Institute awards scholarships to doctoral

students who are conducting research within the area of violence prevention and treatment. The Institute has partneredwith the Belfer Family Foundation to create a permanentendowment for the Belfer-Aptman Dissertation ResearchAward. The following individuals received $2,000 each:

Jennifer S. Mendel, B.S.Johns Hopkins University“From Promise to Practice: Keys to SuccessfulImplementation of Street Outreach for Youth ViolencePrevention”

Nicholas A. Mescia, M.A.University of Miami“A Structural Equation Model Examination ofTraumatic Stress, Psychological Distress, SocialSupport and Quality of Life with HIV+ AfricanAmerican Women in Drug Recovery”

Michael L. Sulkowski, M.Ed.University of Florida“An Investigation of Students’ Willingness to ReportThreats of Violence in Campus Communities”

Joe and Leslie Buchanan, and Sheila and Penn Chabrow.

Lelenia Vasallo, Astrid Malval-Beharry, the Hon. NormanGerstein and Grace Carricarte.

Institute supporters place bids at a silent auction.

OUR VOLUNTEER BOARDSWithout the participation, expertise andleadership of our volunteer boards, theInstitute could not accomplish its goals.The boards include the Board of Directors,Scientific Board and Honorary Board.

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BOARD OF DIRECTORSCommitted individuals who volunteertheir time to oversee the operation of theInstitute, assist with fundraising, planprojects and represent the organizationat community events.

Suzanne L. Keeley, Ph.D., Presidentand a founder of The Melissa Institute, apsychologist in private practice withextensive clinical experience in treatingvictims and perpetrators of violence.

Donald Meichenbaum, Ph.D.,Research Director and a founder of TheMelissa Institute, a clinical psychologist,Distinguished Professor Emeritus at theUniversity of Waterloo, Ontario, and aformer Distinguished Visiting Professorat the University of Miami.

Lynn Aptman, M.Ed., Melissa’s mother, one of the founders of TheMelissa Institute and Director ofInformation Services.

Michael Aptman, M.D., neurologist,Melissa’s father, one of the founders ofthe Institute and Vice President.

Jo Baxter, MBA, Corporate VicePresident, Baptist Health South Florida.

Grace L. Carricarte, MS.Ed.,Executive Director, Ganley Foundation.

Silvana Spinelli Casale, Ph.D., psychologist, Coconut Grove CounselingCenter.

Penn B. Chabrow, Esq., Vice Presidentand Director, law firm of WamplerBuchanan Walker Chabrow Banciella &Stanley, P.A.

Judge Norman Gerstein, 11th JudicialCircuit of Florida.

Remi J. Kajogbola, MBA, healthcareconsultant.

Philipp N. Ludwig, M.S., MBA,Treasurer of the Institute and AssistantVice President, Baptist Health SouthFlorida.

Astrid Malval-Beharry, M.S., MBA,Director of Strategy and BusinessDevelopment, LexisNexis.

the University of Wisconsin, Whitewater.He has more than 25 years’ experience inthe study and treatment of anger-relatedbehaviors in children and youth. Dr.Larson was a school psychologist with theMilwaukee Public Schools for 14 yearsand directed the school system’s violenceprevention program. He also has extensiveexperience in the area of parent manage-ment training and is the co-author ofParent to Parent: A Video-augmentedTraining Program for the Prevention ofAggressive Behavior in Young Childrenand Helping Schoolchildren Cope With Anger: A Cognitive-behavioralIntervention. His most recent book isThink First: Addressing AggressiveBehavior in Secondary Schools.

Donald Meichenbaum, Ph.D., isResearch Director of The MelissaInstitute and Distinguished ProfessorEmeritus at the University of Waterloo,Ontario. He has served as DistinguishedVisiting Professor at the University ofMiami’s School of Education. He is oneof the founders of cognitive behaviortherapy. North American clinicians votedDr. Meichenbaum “one of the 10 mostinfluential psychotherapists of the 20thcentury.” He recently received a LifetimeAchievement Award from the ClinicalDivision of the American PsychologicalAssociation. He has published extensively,and his most recent book is Treatment ofIndividuals with Anger-control Problemsand Aggressive Behavior. Other booksinclude Treating Adults with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, NurturingIndependent Learners and StressInoculation Training.

Guerda Nicolas, Ph.D., is an AssociateProfessor and Chair of the Departmentof Educational and Psychological Studiesat the University of Miami’s School ofEducation. As a multicultural (HaitianAmerican) and multilingual (English,Spanish, French and Haitian Creole)psychologist, she has focused herresearch on developing culturally effective mental health intervention forpeople of color, particularly immigrantchildren, adolescents and families.Concerned about women’s issues,depression, spirituality and social support networks of ethnic minorities, Dr.Nicolas has authored many articles andbook chapters and is an invited presenterat national and international conferences.She is a member of the CaribbeanStudies Association and 2009 presidentof the Haitian Studies Association.

Robert J. Sena, M.S., partner, AlterraCapital Group.

Lelenia C. Vasallo, Esq., attorney,Vasallo & Vasallo, P.A.

Atlee Wampler III, Esq., President,law firm of Wampler Buchanan WalkerChabrow Banciella & Stanley, P.A., formerU.S. Attorney, Southern District of Florida.

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SCIENTIFIC BOARD This board comprises internationalexperts in the areas of violence prevention and treatment of victims.

Etiony Aldarondo, Ph.D., is AssociateDean for Research and Director of theDunspaugh-Dalton Community andEducational Well-Being Research Centerat the University of Miami’s School ofEducation. His professional careerincludes appointments at Boston College,Harvard Medical School’s CambridgeHospital and the Philadelphia ChildGuidance Center. The recipient of variousrecognitions for academic excellence, hisscholarship focuses on positive develop-ment of ethnic minority and immigrantyouth, domestic violence and social justice-oriented clinical practices. Hisbooks include Advancing Social JusticeThrough Clinical Practice (Routledge)and Programs for Men Who Batter:Intervention and Prevention Strategies in aDiverse Society (Civic Research Institute,with Fernando Mederos, Ed.D.).

Wendy Craig, Ph.D., is a Professor inthe Department of Psychology at Queen’sUniversity in Ontario. She has publishedwidely on the topics of bullying and victimization, peer processes, sexualharassment and aggression in girls, andwas editor of a volume on childhoodsocial development. Dr. Craig works with the World Health Organization andUNICEF, conducting research and promoting healthy relationships. Sherecently wrote a chapter on bullying andfighting for the World Health Organization’sWorld Health International Report. She isan author and co-editor of Understandingand Addressing Bullying: An InternationalPerspective. Together with Dr. DebraPepler, Dr. Craig is leading PREVNet(Promoting Relationships and EliminatingViolence Network), a Networks ofCentres of Excellence — New Initiative.

Jim Larson, Ph.D., NCSP, is Professorof Psychology and Director of theSchool Psychology Training Program at

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Clifford R. O’Donnell, Ph.D., isProfessor of Psychology and Director ofthe Community and Culture PsychologyGraduate Program at the University ofHawaii. He has published on such topicsas delinquency prevention, school vio-lence, firearms deaths among children andyouth, cultural-community psychology,and education and employment in com-munity psychology. He currently serves onthe board of directors of the Intermoun-tain Centers for Human Development andconsults to several youth mentoring programs that use his community-peerdelinquency prevention model.

Debra J. Pepler, Ph.D., C.Psych., isDistinguished Research Professor ofPsychology at York University, Toronto,Ontario, and co-director of PromotingRelationships and Eliminating ViolenceNetwork (PREVNet), Canada’s nationalinitiative for bullying prevention. She isan internationally recognized expert onbullying and childhood aggression andan authority on school-based interven-tions. Dr. Pepler speaks widely to professional and community audiencesand publishes extensively. Her majorresearch program examines the antisocialbehavior of children and adolescents,particularly in the school and peer con-texts. She is an author and co-editor ofUnderstanding and Addressing Bullying:An International Perspective. She washonored with the Contribution toKnowledge award from the PsychologyFoundation of Canada.

Isaac Prilleltensky, Ph.D., is Dean ofthe School of Education at the Universityof Miami. Prior to that he was Directorof the Doctoral Program in CommunityResearch and Action at Peabody Collegeof Vanderbilt University. Dr. Prilleltenskyis concerned with value-based ways ofpromoting personal, relational and collective well-being. He is the author,co-author or co-editor of several books,including Community Psychology: InPursuit of Liberation and Well-being;Doing Psychology Critically: Making aDifference in Diverse Settings; CriticalPsychology; Promoting Family Wellnessand Preventing Child Maltreatment; andThe Morals and Politics of Psychology.The book Promoting Well-Being:Linking Personal, Organizational, andCommunity Change was co-authored withhis wife, Ora Prilleltensky, Ph.D.

Wendy K. Silverman, Ph.D., ABPP, isProfessor of Psychology and Director ofthe Child and Family Psychosocial

Research Center at Florida InternationalUniversity. She is an expert on child anxiety and its disorders. Her researchon developing and evaluating evidence-based assessment and treatment proce-dures for children and adolescents withanxiety disorders has been funded forthe past two decades by the NationalInstitute of Mental Health (NIMH). Inaddition to conducting research, teachingand mentoring students, she has servedas editor of the Journal of Clinical Childand Adolescent Psychology, associateeditor of the Journal of Consulting andClinical Psychology, Past President ofthe Society of Clinical Child andAdolescent Psychology (Division 53,American Psychological Association)and Chair of the NIMH grant reviewpanel for Child and AdolescentPsychosocial and PsychopharmacologicalIntervention Research.

Ron Slaby, Ph.D., is a developmentalpsychologist who serves as a SeniorScientist in the Education DevelopmentCenter in Newton, Mass., and the Centeron Media and Child Health in Children’sHospital Boston/Harvard Medical School.Dr. Slaby has also advanced our under-standing of media influences on children’shealth. He has generated and evaluatedmedia literacy programs, investigatedremedies for media violence effects onchildren and served as educational adviser for many award-winning familytelevision programs and feature films.

Dale Willows, Ph.D., is a Professor inthe Department of Human Developmentand Applied Psychology at the Universityof Toronto, and adviser to the school’sOntario Institute for Studies in Education.She is also a registered psychologist. Dr.Willows is a renowned expert in theteaching of reading and preventing read-ing and writing difficulties in youngchildren. She has devoted herself toimplementing change in early literacyeducation through in-service profession-al development for primary grade teachersand school administrators. In addition topublishing extensively in journals andauthoring numerous books and bookchapters, she is frequently invited topresent at academic and professionalconferences. In 2001, Dr. Willows washonored as an Outstanding Educator bythree Canadian school districts. Dr.Willows serves as the only internationalmember of the National Reading Panel,which was commissioned by the U.S.Congress in 1998. She was invited to

attend the White House Assembly onReading in 2001.

Marleen Wong, LCSW, Ph.D., isAssistant Dean and Clinical Professor ofField Education at the University ofSouthern California’s School of SocialWork. She is frequently consulted by theU.S. Department of Education to assistwith recovery for schools impacted byviolence and disaster. She is the originalcommunity partner with RAND Healthand the UCLA Health Services Researchstaff who developed and evaluated CBITS(Cognitive Behavioral Intervention forTrauma in Schools), an evidence-basedprogram that uses skill-based, group intervention to relieve symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression andgeneral anxiety among children exposedto trauma. She is also one of the authorsof Psychological First Aid (PFA) forStudents and Teachers: Listen, Protect,Connect (LPC), one of a family of publichealth strategies available on the publicwebsite of the U.S. Department ofHomeland Security.

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HONORARY BOARD This board is composed of distinguishedcitizens and community leaders who lendtheir support to The Melissa Institute.Mayor Carlos AlvarezAdrienne ArshtJames S. Brady Robyn E. Cassel, Esq. Armando CodinaRichard DaileyKatherine Fernandez RundleRetired U.S. Senator Bob Graham Judith S. Katzen David Lawrence Jr.Judge Cindy LedermanSharon Lombardo Carlos J. Martinez, Esq.Retired U.S. Rep. Carrie Meek Leonard PittsJudge Orlando PrescottPhilip ScutieriArthur TeitelbaumCynthia Wolman

�STAFFFrank DeLaurier, Ed.D.Executive DirectorTrish Ramsay, M.A.Education DirectorJanine Armstrong, B.S.Office Manager

IN-KINDCONTRIBUTIONSAdweb Services, Inc.Mr. Thomas Alfano, CPAMr. Jason AlpertAlways Flowers & EventsAnne Marie Dress ShopAnne Nouvelle Event Design

& FlowersDr. & Mrs. Michael AptmanMs. Janine ArmstrongAunt Jill’s DessertsAwards Inc.-Trophy WorldBaby MillBaptist Children’s HospitalBaptist Health South FloridaBellezza SpaThe Biltmore HotelFrancisco J. Blanco, DMDBloomingdale’sBlooming GardensBlush BoutiqueBorder’s Frame ShopMr. Romero BrittoThe Bud StopThe Capital GrilleMs. Grace CarricarteDr. Silvana & Mr. Jeff CasaleMr. & Mrs. Penn ChabrowCoco Bella Designs, LLCCountry French, Inc.Creole Translation CompanyCurbside FloristDannels Jewelry/Designer

GoldsmithsDr. & Mrs. Frank DeLaurierDeli Lane Café & TavernEllen’s TreasuresExecutive PrintersExpress Flowers, Inc.Express TravelFairchild Tropical Botanical

GardenFit 2 GoFloral SolutionsFlorana FloristsFlorida Panthers FoundationFox Pan American SportsRandy L. Furshman, DDSGlobal BodiesMr. & Mrs. Nick HafnerThe Heat GroupMs. Donna Hennessy, Silpada

DesignsHeritage FoodsHirni’s Wayside FloristsHouse of FitnessMr. Patrick IlabacaIllyThe Intercontinental HotelJewelry by JanJurlique SpaMr. & Mrs. Kent JurneyMr. & Mrs. Lawrence

Kahn III

Mr. Remi KajogbolaDr. & Mrs. Barry KatzenDr. Suzanne L. & Mr. Brian

E. KeeleyKendall Bouquet FloristsKendall Hotel & SuitesMs. Donna LatshawMs. Natasha LudwigMr. Jerry Markowitz & Ms.

Patricia RedmondMs. Marquita MartinMisha’s CupcakesMyra & CompanyOcean Reef ClubMs. Yoko OnoPaulo Luigi RistorantePecan’s Day SpaPekin FlowersPerricone’s MarketplacePhilip Stein Co.Polestar PilatesMs. Trish RamsaySusan Randall PhotographyRoasters ’N ToastersRooms to GoLeonard Rothenberg, DDSMs. Joan SampieriSkin Plus CorporationMr. Richard SlatkoSouth Florida Zoological

SocietyMs. Ellen SteinerStudio LX, South MiamiSunset Corners Fine Wine &

LiquorsMs. Cookie SwakonSymphony JewelersTheatre of the SeaTrattoria LunaMr. Hans TurnwaldUltimate CouriersVillagio RestaurantMs. Denise Ledee WinstonCarlos Wolfe, M.D.X-treme Rock Climbing

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VOLUNTEERSMs. Shirley AndersonMr. James ArmstrongMs. Julie AstutoMs. Katie BarnettMs. Verdell BehrensMs. Pat BenitezDr. Barbara BloomMs. Jill BloomMr. Kenneth BloomMs. Grace CarricarteRev. Katherine CarrollMs. Sheila ChabrowMs. Angela DeLaurierMs. Wendy DenkhausMs. Amy HalseyMs. Martha Jurney

Ms. Susan KahnMs. Judith KatzenMs. Sharon LombardoMs. Giroldy MalloyMs. Astrid Malval-BeharryMs. Jeanee McJiltonMs. Alyse MessingerMs. Krissa RamsayMs. Olga RamudoMs. Sharon SamuelsMs. Dani SpeelmanDr. Silvana Spinelli-CasaleMs. Ellen SteinerMs. Lelenia VasalloMs. Shelley Werner

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DONORS$25,000 and upDr. Suzanne L. & Mr. Brian

E. KeeleyMr. R. Kirk Landon

$10,000-$24,999Dr. & Mrs. Michael AptmanThe Children’s TrustEthel & Harry Reckson

FoundationHealth Foundation of South

Florida

$2,500-$9,999Allegany Franciscan

Ministries, Inc.AnonymousMr. Michael A. CarricarteMr. & Mrs. Edward EastonHon. Sally HeymanMr. Remi KajogbolaMr. David KossmanHon. Katy SorensonMr. & Mrs. Philip Wolman

$1,000-$2,499Mr. Gregory AptmanMr. & Mrs. Lowell AptmanBaptist Health South FloridaMr. & Mrs. Mike BaxterMr. & Mrs. Philip CarrollDr. Silvana & Mr. Jeffrey

CasaleCoconut Grove BankDr. & Mrs. Frank DeLaurierThe Dunspaugh-Dalton

Foundation, Inc.Executive National BankMr. & Mrs. Rick FreeburgMr. & Mrs. William GlassnerMs. Elizabeth J. Green Mr. & Mrs. Javier Hernandez-

LichtlMr. & Mrs. Kent JurneyMr. Rudy J. KranysLeesfield Family Charitable

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LexisNexisPaul & Adrianne MittentagRadiology Associates of

South FloridaMs. Patricia S. RamsayDr. & Mrs. Victor RichardsDr. & Mrs. Shaun SamuelsMr. Philip ScutieriMr. Robert J. SenaMr. & Mrs. Christopher

VasalloWeitz & Luxenberg, P.C.

$500-$999Mr. & Mrs. Robert BaalMr. & Mrs. Jeffrey BernsteinDr. Barbara & Mr. Kenneth

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MessingerMr. & Mrs. Joseph MillerDr. Debra J. PeplerDr. & Mrs. Anis RacyDr. & Mrs. Lawrence

RothmanDr. & Mrs. Bernard SchragerMr. & Mrs. John SchwebelDr. & Mrs. Michael TronerMs. Claire WarrenMr. & Mrs. Bryan WeinsteinMr. & Mrs. Bernard WolfsonDr. & Mrs. Howard Zwibel

$250-$499Mr. & Mrs. Wallace AptmanMr. & Mrs. James ArmstrongMr. Bruce Auerbach & Ms.

Robin RichmanMr. Jamie ByingtonMr. & Mrs. Karl CettaMr. & Mrs. Penn ChabrowMs. Wendy DenkhausMr. & Mrs. William

DickinsonMr. Daniel EpsteinMr. & Mrs. George Foyo

Mr. & Mrs. David FrumDr. Randy FurshmanDr. & Mrs. Richard GelmanHon. Norman GersteinDr. & Mrs. Jeffrey GlasserDr. Bernard GranDr. & Mrs. Allan HerskowitzMr. Patrick IlabacaMrs. Doris JenssenMr. & Mrs. Lawrence

Kahn IIIDr. & Mrs. Steven KobetzLeo Burnett Company

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Patricia RedmondDr. & Mrs. Neil MessingerMs. Deborah MontillaMs. Kathleen MoormanMs. Phillis OetersDr. & Mrs. Philip PaulMs. Olga RamudoMr. Walter ShikanyMr. & Mrs. George SilverDr. & Mrs. Frank SpektorMr. & Mrs. Robert

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Grace WangMr. & Mrs. Brett PerlmutterMr. & Mrs. Bernard ProbstMr. & Mrs. Joshua RednikMs. Golda Retchkiman

15

Art by Latisha Coats, 12thGrade, Young Women’sAcademy for Academic andCivic Development at JRE Lee

Ms. Debi RiceMs. Elizabeth RitterDr. & Mrs. Victor RomanoMr. & Mrs. Leonard

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Auerbach Ms. Evelyn K. AxlerDr. & Mrs. Carl BarenboimMr. & Mrs. Neil Bayer

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SussmanMs. Marsha TalianoffMs. Ayala UsdinMs. Rachel Wallach-PerezMr. & Mrs. Louis WarrenMs. Susan K. WeinerMs. Barbara WolfsdorfMr. & Mrs. Richard WoolfDr. & Mrs. Lloyd WrubleMr. Steve Zimet

16

Art by Yolise Campbell, 9th Grade, Young Women’sAcademy for Academic andCivic Development at JRE Lee

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