Safe Horizon Appoints New Chief Program Officer

Claribel Jolie Pichardo - Safe Horizon

For Immediate Release

Contact: Claribel Jolie Pichardo - Marketing & Communications, SAFE HORIZON

(212) 577-7783

cpichardo@safehorizon.org

LIZ ROBERTS APPOINTED CHIEF PROGRAM OFFICER AT SAFE HORIZON

New York, NY, November 10, 2010 - Safe Horizon, the nation's leading victim assistance organization, has announced the appointment of Liz Roberts as Chief Program Officer, effective as of November 29, 2010. Liz Roberts comes to Safe Horizon with 23 years of experience as an advocate, clinician and administrator working on behalf of children and families affected by violence. She began her career as a shelter counselor, hotline worker, and children's program coordinator for community-based domestic violence programs in the Boston area. At the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Ms. Roberts trained more than a thousand health care providers to screen for intimate partner violence during health care visits. Next, she worked as a therapist with young children who had witnessed violence. She has taught courses on family violence at the Columbia University School of Social Work and at Wheelock College in Boston.

For the last ten years, Ms. Roberts has held several leadership positions at the New York City Administration for Children's Services (ACS). She began in 2000 as the Director of the Office of Domestic Violence Policy and Planning and became the Assistant Commissioner for the Office of Child and Family Health in 2004. In 2006, she was appointed the Deputy Commissioner of Family Support Services. During her years at ACS, Liz developed the agency's first domestic violence strategic plan, supported the placement of domestic violence consultants in child protective offices throughout the city, and designed mental health, substance abuse and medical policies and programs. In her most recent role as the Deputy Commissioner of Family Support Services, Ms. Roberts has overseen the city's preventive service programs, working to prevent child abuse and neglect and reduce the need for foster care placement.

"We are proud to welcome Liz Roberts as our new Chief Program Officer," said Ariel Zwang, CEO of Safe Horizon. "Liz's extensive knowledge of the issues we work with combined with her passion to help children and families affected by violence make her an ideal choice for the position. She brings a broad and deep range of experiences, a loyalty to the city of New York and an ability to lead a large non-profit organization." "I am delighted to be joining the team at Safe Horizon," said Ms. Roberts. "With skill and compassion, Safe Horizon reaches thousands of New Yorkers each day who are struggling with violence and abuse. I look forward to building on the agency's success." Ms. Roberts received a Bachelor of Arts in Social Anthropology from Harvard/Radcliffe and a Master of Social Work from Salem State College. She is a nationally recognized public speaker who has contributed to many presentations and publications on the issue of violence.

Safe Horizon

Safe Horizon is the nation's leading victim assistance organization and serves over 250,000 people each year who have been touched by violence. Whether we are responding to child abuse, domestic violence, or other violent crimes, Safe Horizon provides the practical tools, emotional support, education and advocacy to help victims and their families heal and rebuild their lives.

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