Auburn University hosting seventh International Anti-Bullying Summit in June in Peachtree City

Auburn University's seventh international Anti-Bullying Summit in Peachtree City in June will cover cyberbullying protection, model school and community anti-bullying initiatives, bystander training, the role of the arts in bullying intervention, workplace bullying and other topics. The summit, at the Wyndham Peachtree Conference Center in Peachtree City, Georgia, June 21-22 is hosted by Auburn University's Truman Pierce Institute and Office of Professional and Continuing Education. It is approved for CEU and PLU credit.

Presenters include Auburn University Trustee Elizabeth Huntley, along with Judge Glenda Hatchett, Melissa Mercado and Jonathan Todres. The summit will also offer over 30 breakout sessions.

Huntley, an attorney with Lightfoot, Franklin, White in Birmingham, is an Auburn University trustee. She works closely with governmental and nonprofit agencies who serve children and families. She has served on several boards, including Leadership Alabama, Children's First Foundation, Children's Village, Alabama School Readiness Alliance, president and founder of Project Gear and St. Vincent's Health System. Huntley is the author of “More Than a Bird,” recounting a childhood tainted by poverty and other challenges to becoming a well-known child advocate in Alabama and motivational speaker. “More Than a Bird” focuses on the concept that one individual can make a huge impact on the path of a child's life.

Hatchett served as chief presiding judge of the Fulton County Juvenile Court in Atlanta, one of the largest juvenile court systems in the country. She has keynoted national conferences, served on the boards of Fortune 500 companies and is the founder of The Hatchett Firm. She has appeared on the syndicated TV shows Judge Hatchett and The Verdict.

Mercado is a behavioral scientist in the Division of Violence Prevention at Centers for Disease Control's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. She serves as a subject-matter expert in youth violence and bullying prevention and is a member of the federal inter-agency StopBullying.gov editorial board.

Todres, a law professor at Georgia State University, has authored numerous publications on child trafficking and other forms of violence against children. He is coauthor of “Human Rights in Children's Literature: Imagination and the Narrative of Law.” Todres also serves as a regular advisor to non-governmental organizations working on legislative and policy initiatives to address children's rights issues. Since 2012, Todres has served on three committees for the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, including one which focused on “Biological and Psychosocial Effects of Peer Victimization: Lessons for Bullying Prevention.”

Darrell Green, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, will present a workshop as part of Centene Corporation's Strong Youth Strong Communities initiative. Centene partners with the Pro Football Hall of Fame on the initiative, designed to equip youth and youth-serving organizations in communities nationwide with life skills, information and resources and leadership-focused engagement to help unlock youths' potential and promote active thinking and sound judgment. A youth track will be offered especially for teen attendees on June 21.

Hero Awards will be presented to individuals and community groups who have taken proactive measures to eliminate bullying in their schools and communities. A variety of educational resource vendors that focus on bullying prevention products will also be onsite.

The summit is open to anyone, but registration is required. For more information or to register, go to auburn.edu/antibullying or contact Alan Spencer at 334-844-5100 or alan.spencer@auburn.edu.