The Thriving Youth Task Force (TYTF) is excited to announce that Georgette Harrison will assume the role of Executive Board Co-Chair for the 2020/21 school year. She has participated in TYTF since 2016, most recently as Subject Matter Expert. Harrison will succeed Sergeant James Palmieri, who will complete his term as Co-Chair this year after also serving as a member of the task force for many years and an officer on the executive board since 2019. Sergeant Palmieri will remain on the executive board as a liaison to the Darien Police Department.
Harrison brings vast research and clinical experience to the Thriving Youth Task Force. She is currently the Director of Clinical and Community Partnerships at the Child Guidance Center of Southern CT, an affiliate of Community Health Centers, Inc. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of CT and a rostered trauma-informed Child-Parent Psychotherapy clinician. Her clinical experience includes serving as the Director of Clinical Services for Integrated Wellness Group and as bilingual clinician at the Cornell Scott Hill Health Center Child and Family Guidance Clinic. She earned her Master of Arts and Master of Education degrees in Counseling Psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University.
New to the Executive Board for the 2020/21 school year is Shelley Sheridan. Sheridan has lived in Darien for over 15 years and is deeply rooted in the community. As an advocate for the town of Darien and the surrounding coastal towns, she has served on various executive boards including the Council for Darien School Parents as the Community Outreach Chair, as Chair of the Tokeneke Elementary PTO, Directory Chair for the Middlesex Middle School PTO and Vice President of the Board for the Darien Nature Center. She is a local real estate agent with Houlihan Lawrence and lives in town with her husband and two children. Sheridan is passionate about the mental and physical health of our children and is excited to join the Thriving Youth Task Force.
The remainder of this year’s executive board will continue to serve in 2020/21. Shelly Skoglund will serve a second year as Co-Chair. Skoglund is a member of The Community Fund of Darien’s Board of Directors and has a long history of involvement and leadership in Darien PTOs, including chairing the Royle PTO and the Council of Darien School Parents. Susan Marks, a faithful community servant who was on the Board of Selectmen for 6 years and has volunteered in Darien for many years on school PTOs, the CDSP and many other committees, will continue to serve as the Vice-Chair. Marli Hayes, Membership and Community Outreach Manager of the YWCA Darien/Norwalk, and Janice Marzano, Director of the Youth Service Bureau for the Town of Darien and Program Director at Depot Youth Center, will serve as Co-Chairs of the Programming Committee. Finally, Emily Larkin, Thriving Youth Program Director at The Community Fund of Darien, will manage the “06820” campaign and the Connecticut Strategic Prevention Framework Coalition (CSC) Initiative grant to reduce binge drinking among teens.
The Thriving Youth Task Force is thrilled to welcome Georgette Harrison and Shelley Sheridan to their new roles and is deeply grateful to Sergeant James Palmieri for his leadership and insight as co-chair this year. His depth of experience working with the youth of Darien and the Darien Public schools is invaluable, and TYTF is thankful that he will continue on the board as a liaison between the task force and the Darien Police Department.
The Thriving Youth Task Force, which is convened by The Community Fund of Darien, was created in 2008. The TYTF brings together leadership from the town, the public schools, parent organizations and social service organizations that work with youth and parents to identify issues affecting the youth of Darien and to develop strategies and programs to promote and empower positive youth development. Every three years, the TYTF surveys Darien 7-12th grade students about their developmental assets (the building blocks of healthy development) and their involvement with risky behavior, presenting results to parents and the town. The TYTF members have provided insight and guidance for The Community Fund’s nationally recognized “06820” campaign to reduce binge drinking among adolescents in Darien.
For questions, please contact Emily Larkin at (203) 655-8775.