SuEllen Fried
2024 Ripple of Kindness Winner
SuEllen Fried, activist, author, educator, speaker and trainer. Founded BullySafeUSA in 2002. Has delivered Keynote Addresses and Workshops in 26 states; worked with over 75,000 students, educators, administrators, parents, and professionals in 37 states; and conducted 13 Train the Trainer Institutes for over 500 Teachers, School Counselors, School Nurses, Police Officers, and Administrators.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Member, Dance Ensemble, St. Louis Municipal Opera – 1949, ’50, ’51
Film Work – “The Delinquents” directed by Robert Altman – 1956
TV, freelance work – WDAF-TV, KCMO-TV, KMBC-TV – 1954-58
Dance Therapist (St. Mary’s Hospital, Menorah Hospital, Research Hospital, Private Practice) 1975-94
Composer/Lyricist – “A Man Needs to Know” – 1967 and “The Kindness Song” – 1999
PUBLICATIONS
Chapter on “Parent Education – One Strategy for the Prevention of Child Abuse” – Edited by Marvin J. Fine, Academic Press – 1980
“The Conference Contract: A System to Facilitate Citizen Action for Prevention of Child Abuse” – Pergammon Press. 1980
“Volunteers Make it Happen” – a publication of National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse – 1982
“Bullies & Victims – Helping Your Child through the Schoolyard Battlefield” – 1996, Co-author Paula Fried, Ph.D.
Bullies, Targets & Witnesses – Helping Break the Pain Chain” – 2003, Co-author Paula Fried, Ph.D.
“30 Activities for Getting Better at Getting Along” – 2005, Co-author Lynne Lang, M.A.
“Banishing Bullying Behavior – Transforming the Culture of Peer Abuse” – 2011 Second Edition, Co-author Blanche Sosland, Ph.D.
PAPERS DELIVERED
International Conferences on Child Abuse and Neglect Amsterdam, 1980; Paris, 1984; Toronto, 1988; Chicago, 1992; Denver, 2002
International Bullying Prevention Conference – Indianapolis, IN – 2010
National Conferences on Child Abuse and Neglect – Los Angeles, New.York, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Denver, Baltimore, Salt Lake City, Albuquerque, St. Louis
Governor’s Conferences on Child Abuse and Neglect-Keynote Addresses – Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, South Carolina, Virginia
VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE
Dance and Drama Therapist, Osawatomie State Hospital (OSH), Osawatomie, KS – 1961-78 President, Kansas Mental Health Association – 1969-71
President Nixon’s Task Force on the Mentally Handicapped-1970 Founder. and President, Kansas Committee to Prevent Child Abuse-1976-80
President, NCPCA, now Prevent Child Abuse America 1980-82, Life Board Member Founder and President, Reaching Out From Within – 1982-86, President Emeritus
Parents As Teachers, National Center, Board member and Vice President – 1994-2000
Kansas Department of- -Corrections – 1977- Current
Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey, Board Member-1987.:93
Local Investment Commission (LINC) Commissioner- 1994-current
Kauffman Fund Advisory Board, Kauffman Foundation, Kansas City, MO – 1993-97 Country Club Bank, Board of Directors – 1999-2007
KCPT, Kansas City Public Television, Board of Directors – 1999-2004 Kansas Children’s Service League, Board of Directors – 1994-2000
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
American Dance Therapy Association, Charter Member – 1966 – current American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers – 1967 – current Authors Guild, 2009 – current
HONORS AND AWARDS
American Red Cross, Kansas City, MO Chapter Humanitarian Award-1982 National Conference of Christians and Jews Award- 1984
Department of Health & Human Services Commissioners Award – 1985
Kansas City Spirit Award – 1989
President Bush’s 900th Point of Light Award- 1991
Johnson Countian of the Year – 1993
Kansas Children Service League Distinguished Service to Children Award – 1993
University of Missouri at Kansas City School of Education Alumni Award-1997
Daily Point of Light Award – 1999 and 2016
YWCA Hearts of Gold Award-2001
Sigma Delta Tau Alumna of the Year Award – 2004
Diplomatic Courier Publication – I of 100 Women of the World-March 2012
L’Oreal Paris USA Women ofWorth-2015
Martha J. Starr Award- University of Missouri at Kansas Ci·ty-2017
Founders Community Award, American Public Square – 2023
REACHING OUT FROM WITHIN – A Self-Help Program for Incarcerated Men and Women
I co-founded the prograrn in 1982, attend weekly meetings, and have been a Volunteer for the Kansas Department of Corrections for 36 years. I was instrumental in transplanting the Kansas ROFW program to North Carolina; and was involved in organizing the nationally recognized ”Faces of Change”’ photo portrait exhibit at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art in Kansas City, MO; the Salina Art Center in Salina, KS; and the Mulvane Art Center at Washburn University in Topeka, KS.
I was featured in a piece by Steve Hartman on the CBS Evening News and Sunday Mon1ing with Charles Osgood in November 2013. I visit each of our 17 ROFW groups in every Kansas prison at least once a year. I continue to serve on the Board of Directors as President Emeritus. A TEDx Talk I gave, ”Lessons From Behind Barbed Wire” was post1ed in 2018.