Pascale Sykes Foundation Announces “The Power of Research to Inform Policy” Summit

Bruce D. Perry, M.D., Ph.D., Oprah Winfrey Co-Author, to Deliver Keynote Address;

First Lady Tammy Murphy to Provide Opening Remarks on Helping Working Families in Need

PRINCETON – Examining the best ways to help working families in need, The Pascale Sykes Foundation has announced its national research summit, “The Power of Research to Inform Policy”, to be held on November 16, 2022 for researchers, government officials, local and national non-profit leaders.

This hybrid event will be held at the Conference Center at Mercer in Princeton Junction, with a virtual option available.  To register for the free summit, visit https://pascalesykesfoundation.com/the-power-of-research-to-inform-policy/.

“This day-long summit brings together leading family services thought-leaders, providers, and researchers from around the country for vital conversations about the Whole Family Approach and how to best support families in need,” said Pascale Sykes Foundation Acting President Susan Doctorian Kyrillos.  “We are thrilled to feature a number of prominent panelists and engaging speakers, including Dr. Bruce Perry, co-author with Oprah Winfrey, who will deliver the keynote address, and New Jersey First Lady Tammy Murphy, who will provide welcoming remarks.”

Attendees will hear from renowned psychiatrist Dr. Bruce Perry, active teacher, clinician, and researcher in children’s mental health. His work on the impact of abuse, neglect and trauma on the developing brain has impacted clinical practice, programs, and policy across the world. Dr. Perry’s most recent book, What Happened to You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing, co-authored with Oprah Winfrey, was released in 2021.

“The Pascale Sykes Foundation was started in 1992 with the premise that working families shouldn’t experience a crisis before they can access the resources and support needed to reach their full potential,” Kyrillos continued. “One of the most essential investments of the Foundation has been to support a longitudinal study of the Whole Family Approach, a family-led strategy which provides adults and children with the tools to set, plan for, and achieve their goals together.”

SUMMIT HIGHLIGHTS

Research Presentations

• Dr. Ross Whiting, PhD, Senator Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs: Strengthening Families Initiative Evaluation
• Dr. Elena Ragusa, PsyD, Drive Evaluation Studio: Whole Family Approach in Urban Areas

Session 1: Building Public/Private Partnerships and Research That Informs Those Strategies

Moderator: Benita Miller, Executive Director of Powerful Families, Powerful Communities

Guest Panelists: 

• Christine Norbut Beyer, Commissioner, Department of Children and Families, New Jersey
• Alphonso Nicholas, ACF Regional Administrator, Region 2
• Pete Weldy, ACF Regional Administrator, Region 9
• Carlis V. Williams, ACF Acting Director Office of Regional Operations

Keynote Speaker

Dr. Bruce Perry, Author of “What happened to you? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing”

Session 2: Remedies for the aftereffects of childhood trauma: The Whole Family Approach

Moderator: Rev. Darrell Armstrong, MDiv, EdS, DD, Pastor, Shiloh Baptist Church (Trenton, NJ), Founder, FAAITH Global Network; Former Director, NJ-Division of Prevention and Community Partnerships

Guest Panelists: 

• Christina D. Bethell, PhD, MPH, MBA, Director, Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative at Johns Hopkins University
• Stacie LeBlanc, JD, MEd, Former President of American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children
• Allison Stephens, PhD, MEd, Director of Networks, Communications and Policy, Center for Community-Engaged Medicine at HOPE: Healthy Outcomes from Positive Experiences
• Rev. Floyd Thompkins, Jr., MDiv, MA, President/CEO of the Justice & Peace Foundation, Former Associate Dean of Chapel, Stanford University
• Viola Vaughan-Eden, PhD, MJ, LCSW, Professor, Norfolk State University School of Social Work

Complimentary morning refreshments and lunch will be served at the conference center.  For more information and to register, visit https://pascalesykesfoundation.com/the-power-of-research-to-inform-policy/.

#####