Wakeman Boys & Girls Club in Fairfield, CT
March 14, 2011

Town Hall Panelists:

Rebecca Surran (Moderator), News 12 Connecticut Anchor

Rebecca Surran has worked with News 12 Connecticut since the launch of Cablevision of Connecticut in August of 1982. She started as a reporter and went on to work as a field producer and weathercaster before becoming co-host of The Exchange in 1987 and co-anchor of The Evening Edition in 1997. During her fifteen years as host, Rebecca has received four Emmy nominations, and The Exchange has received five CableACE awards including 1995's CableACE for "Best Local Cable Talk Show" in the nation.

Rebecca also spent several years as a contributing editor for Disney's, FamilyFun Magazine, representing the magazine on WNBC-TV's, Today in New York, NBC's, The Today Show and ABC's, Good Morning America.

Rebecca received her B.A. in History from Bath University, Bath, England and The College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts.

When not at News 12, Rebecca spends time with her husband and four children in southwestern, Connecticut.



Alice Cahn, Vice President of Social Responsibility for the Cartoon Network, Turner Broadcasting

Alice Cahn is in charge of providing the direction and coordination on the structure, design and ultimate implementation of Cartoon Network-created community efforts. Outreach events, advocacy campaigns and other "responsibility initiatives" within any and all Cartoon Network divisions have the guidance of Cahn, who also be continues to develop key relationships with media and child advocacy communities, appropriate sponsors, educators, non-profit organizations and trade associations.

Cahn came to Cartoon Network in January 2004 from The Markle Foundation in New York City where she served as managing director of Interactive Media for Children. There she was responsible for a multi-million dollar funding program designed to explore and encourage production of market-driven, research-based interactive media for children ages 2-12.

Prior to this, Cahn spent two years as Sesameworkshop (formerly Children's Television Workshop) group president where she oversaw all domestic and international creative development and television production, home video and audio production, and development and production of feature films. Among the properties she helped to create are Dragon Tales (w/Columbia Tri-Star); CinderElmo and Elmo and the Wolf (w/Sony Wonder); and Elmo in Grouchland (w/Columbia Tri-Star).

Cahn also served five years as Director of Children's Programming for Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) in Alexandria, VA, responsible for the strategic planning and direction of all PBS children's projects and the Ready to Learn Service, created in partnership with the U.S. Department of Education. Original series developed, purchased and/or acquired for PBS under her leadership include Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego?, Arthur, Wishbone and Noddy.



George Jepsen, Connecticut Attorney General

Attorney General George C. Jepsen took office on Jan. 5, 2011, becoming the 24th Attorney General in Connecticut since the office was established in 1897. The Attorney General is a constitutional officer, the state’s chief legal officer and serves as legal counsel to all state agencies. The Attorney General has authority over all civil matters and is responsible for representing the people of Connecticut and the broader public interest.

A former legislator, state Senate majority leader and Democratic state party chairman, Jepsen was a practicing lawyer for more than 26 years before becoming Attorney General. Most recently, from April, 2003 to Dec. 1, 2010, he was of counsel to the Hartford law firm of Cowdery, Ecker and Murphy, LCC, in the areas of corporate transactions and civil and appellate litigation.

Attorney General Jepsen grew up in Greenwich, attended public schools and graduated from Greenwich High School in 1972. Jepsen attended Dartmouth University where he graduated summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa in 1976 with a B.A. degree in Government with high distinction. In 1982, Jepsen earned his J.D. degree, cum laude, from Harvard Law School and simultaneously earned a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government

George Jepsen was first elected state representative in 1987, representing Stamford’s 148th State House District. In 1990, he was elected state senator in the 27th State Senatorial District, representing Stamford and Darien through 2003. While in the state Senate, Jepsen was chairman of the Judiciary Committee (1993-1995) and ranking member of the Finance Committee (1995-1997). He was elected Senate Majority Leader from 1997-2003. He also served as Democratic State Party chairman from 2003-2005.

Attorney General Jepsen, now a resident of Ridgefield, is married with two sons, Christian, and William. He is an advocate and recognized leader on issues affecting working men and women; consumer protection; civil rights; domestic violence; gun safety, including Connecticut’s ban on assault weapons and protecting Connecticut’s natural and historic resources. Attorney General Jepsen has publically commented on the issue of "cyber-bullying". He has expressed support for extending CT's existing anti-bullying law to include acts of bullying, harassment, and intimidation using mobile phones and the Internet.



Kathryn Rose, Author

Ms. Rose is a Certified Online Mom, certified Social Media strategist and trainer, specializing in integration of new technologies in marketing strategies, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Mobile Marketing and Social Media development and training to help clients maximize their visibility online. She is a frequent speaker and trainer on social media marketing as well as topics relating to online safety for school systems and parents groups. Kathryn is currently the Managing Director of EMP Social an Essential Media Partners company whose clients include: The NOW Guide, The NOW Pass DC, Hard Rock Café, Smithsonian, Super Bowl XLV. EMP Social provides Social Media Optimization and Marketing solutions for organizations of all sizes. Kathryn is the author of the original Facebook Guide for Parents, Facebook Guide for Grandparents and The Beginner's Guide to Facebook for Business.



Anne Schreiber, Common Sense Media's Vice President of Education Content & Curriculum

Anne Schreiber is a thought leader in new media and education with over 20 years experience as a multi-media publisher, product designer and educator. Before joining Common Sense Media as Vice President of Education Content, Anne was Chief Academic Officer of Curriki, a non-profit founded by Sun Microsystems, dedicated to the creation of open source curricula. Prior to Curriki, Anne was Vice President of Product at the Grow Network/McGraw-Hill, an assessment and reporting company.

During her 12 year tenure at Scholastic, Anne was publisher for multiple reading language arts, science and assessment products. Anne’s product accomplishments include “Scholastic Reading Counts”, “The Scholastic Reading Inventory”, “ReadAbout”, a nonfiction, game-based reading program, and Scholastic's highly successful, award-winning, beginning literacy system, “WiggleWorks”. Anne also created and directed the development of core science and language arts textbooks as well as the award-winning television series, “The Magic School Bus”. Anne held executive positions providing content and editorial expertise at the education portal Bigchalk, Time Warner's parenting Web site, "ParentTime" and Sesame Workshop's flagship science show, "3-2-1 CONTACT".

Anne began her career as an elementary school teacher, developing staff and student enrichment programs. Anne did both her undergraduate and graduate work in Curriculum and Instruction and Science Education at Cornell University. She is the author of more than two dozen books for young children.



Dr. Donna Valentine, Ed.D, Principal of Stamford High School

Dr. Donna Valentine has been principal of Stamford High School since July of 2010. She did her doctoral research on urban schools. She also did post graduate work at Harvard's Principal's Institute, looking into the effects of technology on education, including the use of the internet. She has taken several training programs on bullying and tolerance and has worked in several positions throughout New England dealing with bullying in general and on social networks.