American Humane Association Appoints New Senior Fellow to Children's Innovation Institute

Suzanne Lohrbach to work with nation's leading child welfare organization for its groundbreaking "State of America's Children" survey

WASHINGTON, Nov. 1, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- American Humane Association, the nation's sole advocate for the protection of both children and animals, is honored to announce the appointment of noted child welfare expert Suzanne Lohrbach as a Senior Fellow to its Children's Innovation Institute. Lohrbach will be working with the association on its forthcoming "State of America's Children," a survey of the most pressing issues facing American youth today.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20101108/DC97343LOGO)

As one of the nation's foremost authorities on America's family and social services systems, Lohrbach will lead a research team dedicated to finding the root causes of child cruelty, abuse, and neglect. This landmark survey will offer a roadmap for the proactive prevention of all forms of violence and the promotion of the well-being of all children. 

Lohrbach returns to American Humane Association where she previously served as the Vice President for Children's Programming in Humane Research and Policy. Currently, the association's newest Senior Fellow is a Senior Program Specialist with the National Council on Crime and Delinquency Children's Research Center. The National Council on Crime and Delinquency envisions just and humane social systems that promote strong and safe communities and improve the lives of all people. Through the Children's Research Center, she works in partnership with child serving agencies to improve direct practice and organizational operations through models that integrate evidence based assessments, family centered engagement strategies, and implementation science.

"I am absolutely delighted to return to American Humane Association as a Senior Fellow to its Children's Innovation Institute, because it is my goal to cause a sea change in the nation's attitude about how it treats children," said Lohrbach. "We anticipate this document to be proactive, rather than reactive, because we aim to identify ways to bring about measurable change well before it is too late."

Prior to joining American Humane Association in 2010, Lohrbach served as a Community Services Supervisor II for Olmsted County Child and Family Services in southeastern Minnesota. In her role, she provided leadership and supervision for teams of social workers in direct child welfare and child protective services. Before joining Olmsted County, Lohrbach was a Senior Therapist for Family Service Rochester in Rochester, Minnesota providing psychotherapy services to children, youth and adults. 

Lohrbach received her B.A. from Luther College, her M.S. from Winona State University, and is currently a Ph.D. Candidate in social work from the University of Minnesota in St. Paul. She is licensed in the state of Minnesota as a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker.

"We are honored that Sue has agreed to join us as a Senior Fellow and will lead the research team for our 'State of America's Children' survey," said Dr. Robin Ganzert, American Humane Association's President and Chief Executive Officer. "For years we have noticed disturbing trends affecting the welfare and well-being of our children, but this survey will turn heads in the halls of Congress and America's state houses, allowing these children to live the rich, fulfilling lives they deserve."

The American Humane Association Senior Fellows bring prestigious experience, innovative ideas, and unparalleled expertise in the areas of animal welfare and child well-being for the two American Humane Association research institutes, the Children's Innovation Institute and the Animal Welfare Research Institute. Lohrbach joins three previously announced Senior Fellows for 2013, including Dr. Stephen O'Brien, former Chief of the Laboratory of Genomic Diversity at the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health; Dr. Caren Caty, a renowned child psychologist; and Dr. Michael Good, a veterinarian from Atlanta and founder of the Homeless Pets Club.

About American Humane Association

American Humane Association is the country's first national humane organization and the only one dedicated to protecting both children and animals. Since 1877, American Humane Association has been at the forefront of virtually every major advance in protecting our most vulnerable from cruelty, abuse and neglect. Today we're also leading the way in understanding the human-animal bond and its role in therapy, medicine and society. American Humane Association reaches millions of people every day through groundbreaking research, education, training and services that span a wide network of organizations, agencies and businesses. You can help make a difference, too. Visit American Humane Association at www.americanhumane.org today.

SOURCE American Humane Association