Denise Young Farrell Joins The Partnership for a Drug-Free America as Director of Public Affairs

NEW YORK, June 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Partnership for a Drug-Free America welcomes Denise Young Farrell as the organization's director of public affairs.

Young Farrell will lead efforts to further the Partnership's mission of helping parents prevent, intervene in and find treatment for drug and alcohol use by their children. She is responsible for spearheading strategic design of the Partnership's communications initiatives and advancing the Partnership's role as a cause leader to empower parents to protect their teens from substance abuse and addiction. Young Farrell's role will also be instrumental in helping the Partnership develop and sustain relationships with news media, stakeholders and partners concerned about adolescent substance abuse.

"Denise brings significant media savvy and experience to the Partnership," said Steve Pasierb, president and CEO of the Partnership. "With her proven track record in brand development and leading successful public affairs campaigns, we're excited to have her join our efforts to reach and help more parents."

"I am honored to be a part of an outstanding organization which does so much for families and with such a rich history of affecting change around such an important issue," said Young Farrell. "I look forward to working with the Partnership team as we elevate the organization's role as a partner to parents, in support, tools, resources and answers."

Prior to joining the Partnership, Young Farrell was director, communications and strategic partnerships with the New York State Diabetes Campaign, managing the communications strategy, branding and development of the campaign. Before working on the Diabetes Campaign, she spent seven years at Lifetime Networks as director of public affairs, leading the development of the network's award-winning public advocacy campaigns focused on breast cancer and women's leadership. While at Lifetime, she helped promoted passage of national legislation on issues important to women, successfully championing five bills passed by Congress and signed into law. Young Farrell was awarded an Emmy for her work on Lifetime's Stop Violence Against Women campaign. She is a graduate of Ohio University and lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two children.

About the Partnership

The Partnership at drugfree.org is a nonprofit organization that helps parents prevent, intervene in and find treatment for drug and alcohol use by their children. Bringing together renowned scientists, parent experts, and communications professionals, the Partnership translates current research on teen behavior, addiction, and treatment into easy to understand resources at drugfree.org.  For parents who need help talking with their kids about drugs, alcohol and other risky behaviors, TimeToTalk.org offers tips and tools promoting parent/child communication. Time To Act is a step-by-step guide for parents who believe or are sure that their teens are drinking or using drugs and need to know what to do. Through its "360" suite of community programs, the Partnership educates parents and concerned citizens at the grassroots level on the risks of methamphetamine, non-medical prescription drug use and other emerging drug threats, and promotes parenting and community practices designed to prevent teen substance abuse. The Partnership depends on donations from individuals, corporations, foundations and government. The Partnership thanks SAG/AFTRA and the advertising and media industries for their ongoing generosity.

SOURCE Partnership for a Drug-Free America