- Mothers Against Drunk Driving - Media Center

MADD Announces New Chairman And Members Of National Board Of Directors

9/27/2007 12:00:00 AM

Contact Information

Sofia Melios, MADD National, 469-420-4567

DALLAS (August 27, 2007) – Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) announced five new members and a new Chairman to its National Board of Directors. The New Chairman of the Board is Paul Folkemer from New York and has served on the Board since 2002. New Board Members are: Deborah Duncan from Houston , Texas , Jeffrey Levy, of Alexandria , Va. , Paul Romero of Santa Fe , N.M. , Robert Strassburger of Washington , D.C. , and Nina Walker, of Valley Center , Calif.

“Each new board member brings valued skills and a passion for MADD’s mission,” says Chuck Hurley, MADD CEO. “These strong leaders will help MADD eradicate drunk driving by supporting MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving, and we are excited they are contributing their talents and skills to this very important cause.”

The members were elected at the organization’s summer National Board Meeting in Washington , D.C. and represent diverse backgrounds in education, media and social service administration. This changing of the guard comes at an important time in the group’s fight against drunk driving. A recent federal report shows that alcohol-related traffic fatalities are at the highest point in 10 years. According to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration fatalities involving a driver or motorcycle operator with a .08 blood alcohol content or higher rose from 13,613 in 2005 to 13,470 in 2006.

MADD leaders aim to change this through the Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving to help ensure there will be no more victims of drunk driving. The Campaign calls for increased drunk driving enforcement, current and emerging technologies and rallying the public behind advanced technologies that will one day make it impossible for a vehicle to be driven by someone who is drunk. “Drunk driving will be eliminated and it starts with ignition interlocks on all convicted drunk drivers vehicles,” said Hurley.

MADD’s mission is to stop drunk driving, support the victims of this violent crime and prevent underage drinking. MADD is a 501 (c) (3) charity with approximately 400 offices and 2 million members and supporters nationwide. Founded in 1980, MADD has helped save more than 330,000 lives. For more information, visit www.madd.org.

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