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PLENARY SPEAKER HIGHLIGHTS

Angelica Torn is an American actress, film producer, and advocate.  She began her career by seeking out the most difficult roles that explored all sides of the human psyche. She has the reputation of pushing the boundaries of both stage and screen. Angelica Torn began her work with trauma victims shortly after being raped at the age of 19.

Mala Kapur Shankardass, Ph.D., an Associate Professor of Sociology at Maitreyi College, Delhi University, India, has provided national and international consulting services as a Sociologist, Gerontologist, and health and development Social Scientist. Her areas of expertise include health, aging, social security, human rights, gender, food and nutritional security, population and development, environmental concerns, social problems, crime and deviance, and drug use/ abuse. Among recent work in gerontology are Asia/India Chair, International Network for Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA); Subcommittee Chair, Gender Perspectives of the Committee for Review of the National Policy on Older Persons, National Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, India; and Chair, Special Paris Session on Elder Abuse, International Conference of International Association of Gerontology & Geriatrics.

Tonier Cain is a consumer advocate who has spoken nationally on trauma, incarceration and recovery. She is a team leader for the National Center for Trauma-Informed Care, which provides consultation, technical assistance, and training. Ms. Cain is the subject of “Healing Neen,” a documentary based on her life as she moved through multiple systems of care.

Trevor Romain, is a best-selling and award-winning author/ illustrator of a series of self-help books for children, and a much sought-after motivational speaker. Early in his military service, an emotional experience with a severely injured child cemented Romain's desire to work with children and help them deal with difficult life situations. In 2003, he formed the Trevor Romain Company. The company creates a series of animated adventures with underlying real life lessons for children supplemented by curriculum that is relevant and essential to educators.

Frances Ashe-Goins, R.N., M.P.H., currently serves as the Acting Director for the Office on Women’s Health, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).  As Acting Director, she oversees numerous programs related to women's health issues. She has implemented several innovative programs and national summits to address HIV/AIDS, Violence against Women and the Lupus Educational Awareness Project which received national attention.  Her performance and expertise have been acknowledged with many awards for superior service.

I survived my father’s house but put myself in another
 abusive situation as soon as I was free.
 I killed that man when I was 17 and have been incarcerated from age 17-31.
Excerpt from the Weeping Blood Art Exhibit

Reanae McNeal an international speaker, performing and visual artist and survivor, crosses race, class, age, religion, nationality, culture, sexual orientation, and disability as she gives us an inclusive view of the human rights violations of girls and women worldwide in The Weeping Blood Art Exhibit .  Each woman tells her story through her own unique and incredible voice, on one of 12 table-top ironing boards, symbolizing the domestic arena of violence.

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