Obama Campaign Press Release - Obama Campaign Announces Child Advocacy Task Force

Educators, policy experts, and lifetime child advocates lead grassroots organizing efforts throughout New Hampshire

Manchester, NH -- Senator Barack Obama's New Hampshire campaign today announced the membership of our Child Advocacy Task Force. This diverse group of community leaders, educators, lifetime child advocates, development specialists, authors and policy and research experts will coordinate outreach and advise the campaign on issues affecting New Hampshire children and families.

"Barack Obama has a proven track record of fighting for children and families. He's shown a unique commitment to dialogue about the issues New Hampshire's child advocates deal with on a daily basis," Task Force Chair Jack Lightfoot said. "And he has a compassion, authenticity, and ability to inspire people to come together around real progress that I haven't seen in any other candidate."

Michelle Obama and Paul and Peggo Hodes will join the Child Advocacy Task Force and New Hampshire Women for Obama this Saturday, October 20 for a Children's Fair at Mack's Apples in Londonderry.

**Child Advocacy Task Force members are available to speak to the media. Please contact Reid Cherlin for details at (603) 668-2008.

Obama Child Advocacy Task Force

Jack Lightfoot - Chair, Child Advocacy Task Force; Attorney; 30-year leader on New Hampshire child advocacy issues including child abuse and neglect, foster care, adoption, child day care, juvenile justice and divorce

Goffstown, NH

Ellen Shemitz - Attorney; Founder, New Hampshire Child Advocacy Network; Member, Board of Directors, New Hampshire Healthy Kids; Former President, New Hampshire Children's Alliance

Concord, NH

Paula Ferenc - Middle school special education teacher; Program Director, Circle Program; Co-facilitator, New Hope for Girls

Rumney, NH

Dr. Bruce Mallory - Provost and Executive Vice President, University of New Hampshire (for identification purposes only); Professor of early childhood and special education; Board member of the Children's Alliance of New Hampshire, Inc. and the Paul J. Aicher Foundation; Former chair of the UNH Department of Education, public school teacher, and director of Head Start program

Portsmouth, NH

Ann McLane Kuster, Hopkinton - Member, American Academy of Adoption Attorneys; Recipient of 2007 Congressional Award "Angels in Adoption"; Director, Education and Non-Profit Law Practice Group, Rath Young and Pignatelli; Former Board Member of Child and Family Services of New Hampshire and Chair of Children's Lobby Day

Hopkinton, NH

Kay Kenyon, M.Ed., - Special education teacher; Head Start Special Ed Case Manager; Foster and adoptive parent; 11-year Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer

Nashua, NH

Sylvia Gale - Lifelong supporter of child advocacy issues; Social worker; Advocate for access to quality medical care for low-income children and their families and child safety resources

Nashua, NH

James Miller - Psychology professor emeritus, Plymouth State University; School counselor, Second Start Alternative High School

Meredith, NH

Angela Delyani-Hart - Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer

Hollis, NH

Jeff Ladd - High school teacher; Basketball coach

Wolfeboro, NH

Bernadette Melton Plante - CASA Supervisor; Employee, Youth Council in Nashua - Court Diversion Program; Child parent mediator, City of Nashua; Former Vice President of Nashua Girls Soccer Association

Nashua, NH

Chris Mattise, M. Ed. - Creator, internationally renowned program "Hurt-Free Schools"; Former elementary school guidance counselor

Amherst, NH

Jonathan Baird - Attorney; Member, New Hampshire Child Advocacy Network Steering Committee

Wilmot, NH

Tracy Hahn-Burkett - Writer; Member, Board of Directors, New Hampshire Women's Lobby; Administrator, writer and founder of www.UnchartedParent.com; Advocate for civil liberties, civil rights and public education

Bow, NH

Gary Wall, M.S. - Social worker; Thirty-five year child advocate; Former Host Home parent, Child and Family Services

Goffstown, NH