Jennifer Mitchell, Co-President

Jennifer Wooden Mitchell has dedicated her 38 year career to protecting the health and safety of children, teens and young adults. Currently Co-President of Child Lures Prevention/Teen Lures Prevention (CLP/TLP), Jennifer began her career as a child advocate at the age of thirteen, when she lobbied the United States Congress door-to-door for passage of the Protection of Children Against Sexual Exploitation Act of 1977- the first federal legislative effort to regulate child pornography and provide funding for survivors of child sexual abuse and exploitation. Thirty years later, as a National Personal Safety Expert, Jennifer was invited to the White House to witness the Presidential signing of the PROTECT Act, which formally established the federal government's role in the Amber Alert system and strengthened penalties for crimes against children. And most recently, Jennifer was invited to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland to present CLP/TLP's evidence-based curricula (Think First & Stay Safe™ and Teen Lures TV Newscast™) as model initiatives during the inaugural event "Preventing Sexual Abuse of Children: An Educational Toolbox" at the United Nations 30th Anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in Geneva, November 14th, 2019.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, CLP/TLP provided all their educational clients/partners with free digital access to both curricula. In partnership with Holly's House CAC in Evansville, Indiana, Jennifer created the free bulletin “Impact of COVID-19 on Child Abuse: Considerations for the 2020-2021 School Year.” This helpful bulletin and additional COVID Considerations can be accessed at https://childluresprevention.com/covid-19-considerations/

Jennifer has been recognized as a Giraffe Project Hero. This nonprofit honors Giraffe Heroes—compassionate risk-takers who are largely unknown, people who have the courage to stick their necks out for the common good, in the US and around the world. Jennifer, and her colleague/sister Rosemary Wooden Webb, are following in the footsteps of their father, Giraffe Hero Ken Wooden.

Jennifer has been advocating for sexual abuse/assault awareness and primary prevention education for over three and a half decades. As part of a family organization founded in 1985, Jennifer helped establish CLP/TLP with her father Ken Wooden and sister Rosemary Webb. She co-authored Think First & Stay Safe™ Adult Training and Youth Curriculum, a turn-key personal safety program now utilized by over 7,000 schools/school districts, child advocacy centers, faith-based and youth-serving organizations. Jennifer collaborates with these groups, as well as countless survivors, to bring primary prevention efforts to their communities. She oversees annual program research, updates and revisions. She also coordinates program approval and endorsements, including Think First & Stay Safe's approval as an evidence-based prevention program, including by IN, CO, AL, AK, PA, IA, UT and IL Departments of Education and Erin Merryn of Erin's Law.

Jennifer co-authored the program's Parent Guide and Student Personal Safety Workbook, which are widely used, both with the Think First & Stay Safe™ and independently. Since 1985, over 6 million copies of the Think First & Stay Safe™ Parent Guide have been distributed through schools & child serving organizations, law enforcement agencies, faith-based organizations, military bases, civic organizations, government agencies and television stations/corporate sponsors.

Recognizing the power of television and peer teaching, Jennifer co-developed the Teen Lures™ TV Newscast School Program in 2008. She co-authored a corresponding parent-teen handbook, Let's Talk Teens, collaborating with national organizations including RAINN, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, TeenCentral.net, Nat'l Center for Victims of Crime, Love is Respect, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, Privacy Rights and Wired Safety.

In 2019, the Campus and Community Safety guide for young adults was introduced into CLP/TLP's suite of educational resources. The Campus and Community Safety guide provides personal safety & security awareness for young adults (ages 17 and over) in high school, college, military, workplace or athletic campuses, as well as the community-at-large. Includes safety and security tips for Dorm/Apt Safety, Mental Wellness, Identity Theft, Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and the Red Zone, Consent: Got it?, Parties & Social Events, Dating Abuse, Date Rape Drugs, Active Shooter Situations and Human (Sex) Trafficking, with Helplines and Reporting resources.

Jennifer was one of eight national Child Safety Experts who were appointed, and served, on the Education Standards Task Force at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) in Washington, DC. Jennifer and the task force members helped create national guidelines and criteria for choosing child safety curricula. The task force, along with NCMEC staff liaisons and supporting agencies, developed the Guidelines for Programs to Reduce Child Victimization: A Resource for Communities When Choosing a Program to Teach Personal Safety to Children.

Mitchell regularly presents In-Service Training Seminars and Professional Workshops. She presented "School-Based Prevention Education; An Innovative Approach to Safeguarding Children" at the 35th International Symposium on Child Abuse on March 19, 2019 and the National Children’s Alliance Leadership Conference in Washington, DC on June 11, 2018. Jennifer has conducted In-Service Awareness and Prevention training seminars at Barrow County School District in Georgia, USA Gymnastics' National Congress Conference in Connecticut, Champlain College in Vermont, St. Petersburg College in Florida, Archdiocese of Hartford in Connecticut and the Diocese of Trenton in New Jersey.

Jennifer also serves as CLP/TLP's Program Coordinator, working collaboratively with communities across the country, and indeed the world. Jennifer has coordinated outreach efforts with countless Schools and School Districts, many Child Advocacy Centers, Faith-based Organizations, U.S. Olympic Sports Organizations (Educational Partners) and California State PTA (an Allied Agency).

In 2006, she won an Emmy Award (Outstanding Achievement for Informational Programs: Public Affairs/Current Affairs - Single Program) for her work as co-producer on the televised town hall meeting, "Smart Choices, Safe Kids: A Child Lures Prevention Town Hall Meeting," which was broadcast on NBC's WMAQ-TV Chicago and statewide throughout Illinois -- in conjunction with statewide airing of the Child Lures Prevention Television News Series, reaching millions of television viewers. Jennifer has also been instrumental in coordinating broadcast of the Child Lures Television News Series on network stations in over 70 ADI TV markets throughout the United States. In 2009, South Korea's Educational Broadcast System (EBS) turned to Child Lures Prevention to help produce a successful 3-part Educational Documentary on keeping Korea's children safe, which was viewed by millions of families throughout South Korea.

Most recently, Jennifer is supporting collaborative education and outreach efforts with Child Advocacy Centers, School Districts, Dioceses and Archdioceses, Mercy Ships, USA Gymnastics, USA Water Ski, United States All Star Federation of Dance and Cheer, as well as A Global Partnership to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse with L. Raphael Geneve (headquartered in Switzerland) and its Global Army Against Child Abuse (based in Jerusalem, Israel), in cooperation with the Israeli Association of Rape Crisis Centers. This Global Partnership makes available, at no cost, the video Tom's Secret to parents, educators and child-serving organizations worldwide.

Jennifer has appeared on national and local television, including CNN, MSNBC Live, NBC & CBS local news and Lifetime's "Kids These Days" to educate the public on how best to keep children healthy and safe.

During the creation of Act One, Vermont's comprehensive statewide approach to child sexual abuse prevention, Jennifer testified before the Vermont Senate Judiciary Committee concerning Vermont's sexual offender protocol, laws and need for prevention education. She also served on Vermont's Department of Children and Families Community Outreach Working Group, which helped to determine the best way to provide sexual abuse prevention awareness and education to Vermont's children, beginning in 2011.

Internationally, Jennifer is a Board Member of the Global Army Against Child Abuse, headed by Mrs. Ronit Raphael of the international beauty brand L.Raphael Geneve. She is also a lifetime member of Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Business Fraternity.

Over the years, Jennifer has volunteered for the Chittenden County Court Diversion Program, as well as the Emergency Department of her local hospital, Medical Center Hospital of Vermont (formerly Fletcher Allen Health Care). Jennifer also volunteered as Team Manager for Nordic Soccer Club's Boys Premier Team. She has been married for 25 years and has two grown sons. Personal time includes being a licensed Vermont REALTOR® and working with her friend and mentor, Leslie Quinn on the Quinn Mitchell Team at Coldwell Banker Hickok & Boardman, interior home design, helping others, reading, gardening, socializing, tennis and piano playing.

Jennifer welcomes the opportunity to work in partnership with you to help protect children, teens and young adults on your campus and in your community. Jennifer Mitchell can be reached at [email protected].