Global Leadership

External/Global Affairs

Drawing from nearly 20 years of professional legal practice and five years of pediatric nursing, Abbie Newman, R.N., J.D., CEO has led Mission Kids since 2008. Abbie now leads the External Affairs team, expanding the organization’s reach and impact beyond Montgomery County to include Pennsylvania, and national child abuse issues. She has also established a number of international initiatives in partnership with numerous institutional and advocacy groups across the globe including:

• Research projects with The Haruv Institute at The Hebrew University (Jerusalem, Israel).
• Partnership with the Bambino Life Foundation (Kampala, Uganda).
• Collaboration with the Women Lead Movement NGO (Cape Town, South Africa).
• Speaking engagements including locations in The Hague, The Netherlands; Prague, Czech Republic; Crimes Against Children Research Center at the University of New Hampshire; and the National Children’s Advocacy Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
• Contributions to international journals including The Journal of Child Abuse and Neglect, The International Journal on child sexual abuse prevention and response.

Working closely with and learning from its international partners Mission Kids is able to continuously reassess, hone and implement the most effective team responses for our own children and families locally. The organization firmly believes that respecting and learning from other cultures and strengthening ties to the global community is critical to improving outcomes at home.