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On May 5, 1995, Melissa Aptman was murdered in St. Louis. A Miami native, she was just two weeks away from graduation from Washington University. A year after her death, Melissa’s family, friends and violence prevention experts established The Melissa Institute for Violence Prevention and Treatment to honor her memory and make a difference by working to prevent violence and assist victims. The Melissa Institute is a non-profit organization dedicated to the study and prevention of violence through education, community service, research support and consultation. The Institute’s mission is to prevent violence and promote safer communities through education and application of research-based knowledge. The
mission is accomplished in the following ways:
The Melissa Institute's volunteer boards give generously of their time and expertise to help the Institute accomplish its goals. Our Boards include: Board of Directors - Committed individuals who oversee the operation of the Institute, assist with fund-raising, plan projects and participate in community activities on violence prevention. Scientific Board - International experts in the areas of violence prevention and treatment of victims. Honorary Board - Distinguished citizens and community leaders who have lent their support to the Institute. |
Melissa Aptman
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Suzanne Keeley, Ph.D., President and a founding member of The Melissa Institute, psychologist in private practice with extensive clinical experience treating victims and perpetrators of violence. Donald Meichenbaum, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Distinguished visiting professor at UM, clinical psychologist, research director and a founding member of The Melissa Institute. Lynn Aptman, M.Ed., Melissa's mother, one of the founders and Director of Information Services of The Melissa Institute. Michael Aptman, M.D., Neurologist, Melissa's father, Vice President and one of the founders of The Melissa Institute. Jo Baxter, APR, MBA, Corporate Vice President, Baptist Health South Florida. Queen T. Brown, M.A., Community Violence Prevention leader and program host on WINZ 940 AM radio. Grace Carricarte, M.A., Social Services Counselor, Children's Diagnostic and Treatment Center. Kathryn H. Carroll, M.Div., Pastor, St. James Lutheran Church, Coral Gables, Fl. Silvana Spinelli-Casale, Ph.D., Penn B. Chabrow, Esq., Director, Wampler Buchanan Walker Chabrow & Banciella, P.A. The Hon. Norman Gerstein, Circuit Court Judge, Miami-Dade County, Florida. Remi J. Kajogbola, MBA, Vice President, Corporate Sales & Marketing, Cardinal Health. Philipp N. Ludwig, MBA, Corporate Director, Baptist Health South Florida and Treasurer of the Melissa Institute. Robert J. Sena, M.S., Partner, Alterra Capitol Group. Lelenia Vasallo, Esq., Attorney, Vasallo & Vasallo, P.A. Atlee W. Wampler III, Esq., President, Law firm of Wampler Buchanan Walker Chabrow Banciella & Stanley, P.A., & former U.S. Attorney, Southern District of Florida. |
 Suzanne Keeley
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| Donald Meichenbaum, Ph.D., Chairman of the Scientific Board, is Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Clinical Psychology at the University of Waterloo, Ontario, and one of the founders of cognitive behavior modification. He has lectured worldwide on the impact of violence and has published the Clinical Handbook on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. In a survey reported in the American Psychologist, he was voted "one of the 10 most influential psychotherapists of the century." He is a founding member of The Melissa Institute. [Read an interview with Dr. Meichenbaum ]
Etiony Aldarondo, Ph.D., is Associate Professor in the Department of Educational and Psychological Studies Department at the University of Miami. He co-chairs the steering committee of the National Latino Alliance for the Elimination of Domestic Violence, and is a member of the National Advisory Board of the National Violence Against Women Prevention Research Center funded by the Center for Disease Control. He is also a member of the Prevention's Batterer Intervention and Prevention Program's Evidence-Based Review Expert Panel. James Larson, Ph.D., is Professor of Psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and Coordinator of the School Psychology Training Program. He is a leader in school violence prevention and has developed videotape training programs for children and adolescents. His training manuals and materials have been widely used. He is also an expert in parent management training programs. Dr. Larson recently co-authored a book entitled, Helping Schoolchildren Cope With Anger: A Cognitive-Behavioral Intervention (Guilford Press). This book is designed for school and clinic-based practitioners who are working to reduce interpersonal violence among children. The book provides the latest knowledge base on childhood aggression, the cognitive-behavioral principles underlying treatment, instructions for setting up and running the Anger Coping Program, and a session-by-session treatment manual." Ann Kelley, Ph.D., is a Nationally Certified School Psychologist. She has been an Adjunct Associate Professior and Lecturer at several institutions including the University of South Florida, Indiana State University, and Florida Metropolitan University. Her papers and publications include: Kelley, A.H. & Curran, J.P. - Comparison of Self-Control Approach and an Emotional Coping Approach to the Treatment of Obesity. J. of Consult & Clin Psychology, 1976, 44, 683. Kelley, A.H., Lysaker, P.H., & Edgerton, N. - Mental Health Outreach Services for Rural Adolescents: An Association with Increased Graduation Rates. Submitted for publication, 1998. Kershaw, M. A., Kelley, A., Posnick, J. (2005). Assessing trauma exposure using the traumatic events screening inventory (TESI). In C. Newman, C., Liberton, K. Kutash, & R. M. Friedman (Eds.), The 17th Annual Research Conference Proceedings: A System of Care for Children's Mental Health: Expanding the Research Base (pp. 213-17). Clifford O'Donnell, Ph.D., is Professor of Psychology at the University of Hawaii and Director of the Community Studies Program. He is an authority on childhood aggression and violence, and he has addressed the issue of gun violence and youth. He has also developed culturally sensitive community programs for youth and their families.Papers include: O'Donnell, C. R. (2001). School violence: Trends, risk factors, prevention, and recommendations, Law & Policy, 23, 409-416. O'Donnell, C. R., Wilson, K., & Tharp, R. G. (2001). The cross-cultural context: What can be learned from community development projects. In G. B. Melton, R. A. Thompson, & M. A. Small (Ed.), Toward a child-centered, neighborhood-based child protection system (pp.104-114). Westport, CT: Praeger. Debra Pepler, Ph.D., is Professor of Psychology at York University, Toronto, Ontario, and the Director of the Judy LaMarsh Center for Research on Violence and Conflict Resolution. She is a leader in the area of the developmental correlates of childhood aggression, victimization/ bullying and an expert on school-based interventions. She has also studied domestic violence. Isaac Prilleltensky, Ph.D., Dean, School of Education, University of Miami. Dr. Prilleltensky is concerned with value-based ways of promoting personal, relational, and collective well-being. He is the author, co-author or co-editor of several books, including Community Psychology: In Pursuit of Liberation and Well-Being, Doing Psychology Critically, Critical Psychology, Promoting Family Wellness and Preventing Child Maltreatment, and The Morals and Politics of Psychology. He recently completed with his wife, Dr. Ora Prilleltensky, a book entitled Promoting Well-Being: Linking Personal, Organizational, and Community Change.
Wendy
K. Silverman, Ph.D., is a Professor of
Psychology and Director of the Child and Family
Psychosocial Research Center at Florida
International University. She has
authored/co-edited four books including Helping
Children Cope with Disasters and Terrorism with
Dr. Annette La Greca. Dr. Silverman is a member of
the scientific advisory board for Child and
Adolescent Trauma Treatment in New York and Editor
of the Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent
Psychology. Barbara
Hanna Wasik, Ph.D., is Professor of Education
at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill,
and Director of the UNC Center for Home Visiting.
She is a pioneer and leading authority in the area
of home visiting. Her book Home Visiting:
Procedures for Helping Families is a classic in the
field. She has consulted internationally on home
visiting and early intervention programs. Dale Willows, Ph.D., is a professor in the Department of Human Development and Applied Psychology at the University of Toronto. She is also a registered psychologist in the Province of Ontario. She is an acknowledged expert in the teaching of reading and has published extensively. She has also served as a member of the National Reading Panel. Marleen Wong, Ph.D. Dr. Wong is Director of Crisis Counseling and Intervention Services at the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) as well as Director of the Trauma Services Adaptation Center for Schools and Communities. She is one of the original developers of the "Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS)", one of the only evidence-based early interventions for children traumatized by exposure to community violence. Dr. Wong has been a speaker and/or invited participant at the White House Conference on School Safety and Violence Prevention, the White House Conference on Mental Health, the US Surgeon General's First National Conference on Children's Mental Health, and the White House Conference on Helping America's Youth. Dr. Wong is lead editor and co-author of three school safety books for the Jane's Information Group which include: Jane's School Safety Handbook, Jane's Safe Schools Planning Guide for All Hazards, and Jane's Teacher Safety Handbook. She is the author of the Mental Health Intervention and Crisis Recovery curriculum for the Dept. of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing (COPS). She served on the National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine (IOM) Committee on Preparing for the Psychological Consequences of Terrorism, a report published in August 2003. |
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Mayor Carlos Alvarez Mayor, Miami-Dade County Adrienne Arsht, Chairman and CEO, TotalBank James Brady, former Presidential Press Secretary for President Reagan and Trustee, Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence. Bennett H. Brummer, Public Defender, Miami Dade County. Robyn Cassel, Esq. Alvah H. Chapman Jr., retired Chairman and Director/CEO, Knight-Ridder, Inc. Armando Codina, Chairman and CEO, Codina Group. Richard Dailey, Vice President, Coconut Grove Bank, Miami, FL. Katherine Fernandez Rundle, Miami-Dade County State Attorney. Bob Graham, former United States Senator. Judith S. Katzen David Lawrence Jr., President, Early Childhood Initiative, Florida International University. Judge Cindy Lederman, Administrative Judge, Juvenile Division, Miami-Dade County. Carrie Meek, former congresswoman. Leonard Pitts, Syndicated columnist. Judge Orlando Prescott Philip Scutieri, President, Kendale Capital. Arthur Teitelbaum, Southern Area Director, Anti-Defamation League. Cynthia Wolman, M.Ed., former early childhood educator and board member, Aranon Corp. |
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