SuEllen Fried

SuEllen Fried, 2024 Ripple of Kindness Finalist

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.