February 13, 2008
Contact:
Ken Ma
NSU Office of Public Affairs
954-262-5354 (office)
954-830-4177 (mobile)
kennma@nova.edu
DCF Secretary Bob Butterworth to speak at Foster Child Conference at Nova Southeastern University
FT. LAUDERDALE-DAVIE, Fla. -- Florida Department of Children & Families
Secretary Bob Butterworth will discuss strategies to improve the lives
of foster children Thursday (Feb 14) at a youth empowerment conference
at Nova Southeastern University (NSU).
Butterworth will be making his remarks at the conference, called Fostering Success: Strategies to Empower Youth to Succeed as Adults. Held at NSU’s Miniaci Performing Arts Center, the event will also feature NSU faculty experts on child welfare as well as other child policy experts. The conference will run from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., followed by a reception at 4:30 p.m.
Butterworth is expected to speak at 4 p.m. He will also accept an award on behalf of Gov. Charlie Crist at a reception that follows the conference and starts at 4:30 p.m.
The event, which is expected to draw 200 participants, is put together by the nonprofit Florida’s Children First, Inc., a statewide children’s advocate.
NSU faculty speakers at the conference include: James Murray Pann, Ph.D., program professor at NSU’s Fischler School of Education and Human Services (FSESH); Deborah A. Mulligan, M.D., Director of NSU’s Institute for Child Health Policy; Denise Crammer-Turner, Psy.D., Adjunct Faculty at FSEHS; and Judith S. Stein, Ed.D., Executive Director for the National Institute for Educational Options at FSESH.
Other speakers will include Andrea Moore, Executive Director of Florida’s Children First; Howard Talenfeld, J.D., President of Florida’s Children First; Kathleen M. McNaught, J.D., Assistant Staff Director of Child Welfare at the American Bar Association’s Center on Children and the Law; Misty Stenslie, Deputy Director of the Foster Care Alumni of America; and State Sen. Nan Rich D-Weston.
About Nova Southeastern University:Situated on 300 beautiful acres in Davie, Florida, Nova Southeastern University is a dynamic fully accredited institution dedicated to providing high-quality educational programs of distinction from preschool through the professional and doctoral levels. NSU has more than 26,000 students and is the sixth largest not-for-profit independent institution nationally. The university awards associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, specialist, doctoral, and first-professional degrees in a wide range of fields, including business, counseling, computer and information sciences, education, medicine, optometry, pharmacy, dentistry, various health professions, law, marine sciences, early childhood, psychology and other social sciences. For more information visit www.nova.edu.
About Florida’s Children First, Inc.: It was founded in 2001 by attorneys from across Florida who were working on issues affecting Florida’s most vulnerable children. The founders came from private practice, law school clinics and legal aid organizations. They knew that if they combined their resources and worked together they could achieve greater reform in the systems that affect children. With assistance from the Florida Bar Foundation they formed Florida’s Children First as a non-profit legal services organization. For more information visit http://floridaschildrenfirst.org/index.htm
