FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Jessica Richardson, Communication Manager
Email:
media@D2L.org
Phone:
843-513-1623
Darkness to Light and the Medical University of South Carolina Partner
on Spring Event, “Happy Valley: Then and Now”
Charleston premiere of “Happy Valley” documentary will feature panel discussion including Dr. Regina
Benjamin, 18th U.S. Surgeon General, and Jay Paterno, son of late Penn State Head Coach Joe Paterno
Charleston, S.C. – April 7, 2015 – In honor of National Child Abuse Prevention month, Darkness to Light
and the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) are partnering to present “Happy Valley: Then and
Now” on Thursday, April 16, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the Drug Discovery Auditorium (DD110) on the
MUSC Campus. This event will examine the Jerry Sandusky scandal at Penn State, the environment that
allowed it to happen, and the emotional aftermath felt by the community.
The evening will include a screening of the documentary film “Happy Valley,” followed by a panel
discussion featuring Dr. Regina Benjamin, 18th U.S. Surgeon General, Joseph V. “Jay” Paterno Jr., son of
the late Joe Paterno; Howard W. Long III, president and CEO of the Centre County YMCA; and Cindy
McElhinney, director of programs for Darkness to Light. The panel will discuss the impact of the
Sandusky tragedy on the State College community, and highlight how community leaders are
transforming the way that people think and talk about child sexual abuse. Acting as panel moderator will
be Dr. Lyndon Haviland, interim CEO of Darkness to Light and internationally recognized expert in the
field of public health.
“Happy Valley” offers a tremendous opportunity to talk openly about child sexual abuse. The Sandusky
tragedy is just one story among countless others reaching beyond Penn State, beyond Centre County,
and well beyond football. “Incidents such as these demonstrate the need for child sexual abuse
prevention to be included in national strategy,” said Haviland. “MUSC is an unequivocal leader in
children’s health, and we are thrilled to partner with them to bring this discussion to the Charleston
community.
This event is free and open to the public. For more information, please visit www.D2L.org/HappyValley.
Media interested in attending the event or participating in pre-event interviews should contact Jessica
Richardson by April 10 to reserve a place.
ABOUT THE PANEL
Regina M. Benjamin, MD, MBA
Dr. Regina Benjamin served as the 18th U.S. Surgeon General from 2009 to 2013. She oversaw the
operational command of 6,700 uniformed public health officers who serve in locations around the world
to promote and protect the health of the American People. She served simultaneously as Surgeon
General and as the first chair of the National Prevention, Health Promotion, and Public Health Council
(National Prevention Council). Dr. Benjamin is also the founder and CEO of BayouClinic, Inc. Before
becoming “America’s Doctor,” she served her patients at the rural health clinic in Bayou La Batre,
Alabama.
Joseph V. “Jay” Paterno Jr.
Jay Paterno is an author, speaker and advocate for child sexual abuse prevention education. He coached
college football for over two decades, including 17 years at Penn State. Today, he is a voice for those who
are not survivors, but who are impacted by the wider damage abuse can cause.
Howard W. Long III
Howard Long is the president and CEO of the Centre County YMCA. He represents the Pennsylvania YMCA
statewide initiative to arm communities with the information needed to keep children safe, including
Darkness to Light’s “Stewards of Children” child sexual abuse prevention training program.
Cindy McElhinney
Cindy McElhinney, director of programs for Darkness to Light, is passionate about child sexual abuse
prevention. She is committed to ensuring that Darkness to Light programs are the most effective at
educating adults to protect the children in their lives. With nearly 20 years of experience in product
management, project management, and customer support, she leads organization efforts in product
development and the support of a large network of program providers.
Lyndon Haviland, MPH, DrPH
Dr. Lyndon Haviland currently serves as interim president and CEO of Darkness to Light. With more than
25 years’ experience in domestic and international public health, Dr. Haviland has led various public
health campaigns, initiatives and organizations. Throughout her career, she has created and led health
promotion and disease prevention movements in tobacco, HIV/AIDS, maternal and child health and
sexual and reproductive health.
ABOUT DARKNESS TO LIGHT
Darkness to Light (D2L) is a nonprofit organization founded in 2000 with the mission to empower adults
to prevent child sexual abuse. Through education and awareness, the organization seeks to create a safer
world for children to grow and thrive.
Darkness to Light believes that children must be actively protected from child sexual abuse, that
prevention is an adult responsibility, and that education is the first critical step to protection, as well as
the catalyst for larger cultural change. The organization’s focus is to make child sexual abuse prevention
a national priority for organizations that serve youth.
Darkness to Light’s flagship program, “Stewards of Children®,” is an award-winning training that teaches
adults to prevent, recognize, and react responsibly to child sexual abuse. To date, over 900,000
educators, youth serving professionals, organization volunteers, and community members have been
trained. “Stewards of Children” is the largest training program of its kind, with the largest network of
child protection advocates in the world. For more information visit D2L.org/Stewards.
ABOUT MUSC
Founded in 1824 in Charleston, The Medical University of South Carolina is the oldest medical school in
the South. Today, MUSC continues the tradition of excellence in education, research, and patient care.
MUSC educates and trains more than 3,000 students and residents, and has nearly 13,000 employees,
including approximately 1,500 faculty members. As the largest non-federal employer in Charleston, the
university and its affiliates have collective annual budgets in excess of $1.7 billion. MUSC operates a 750bed medical center, which includes a nationally recognized Children's Hospital, the Ashley River Tower
(cardiovascular, digestive disease, and surgical oncology), Hollings Cancer Center (one of 68 National
Cancer Institute designated centers) Level I Trauma Center and Institute of Psychiatry. For more
information on academic information or clinical services, visit www.musc.edu. For more information on
hospital patient services, visit www.muschealth.org.
# # #
For further information, please contact Communication Manager Jessica Richardson at 843-513-1623 or
JRichardson@D2L.org.
Website:
www.D2L.org
Twitter:
Darkness2Light
Facebook: DarknesstoLight