The Board of Directors of the American Professional Society of the Abuse of Children (APSAC) announced today that Louisiana resident Stacie LeBlanc, JD, MEd is now president of the society dedicated to improving the country’s response to child maltreatment.
LeBlanc is the co-founder of The UP Institute, a think tank for upstream child abuse solutions providing consultation and training. She began her career as a child abuse prosecutor in Jefferson Parish more than 30 years ago. Ms. LeBlanc became the chief of the Felony Child Abuse Division, began the Family Violence Program and helped open Child Advocacy Centers in rural and urban parishes. She received the “Outstanding Prosecutor Award” from Victims and Citizens Against Crime for the unit’s 94% conviction rate and the prosecution of a 20-year- old child rape case, which garnered national media attention.
LeBlanc is the Founding Director of the New Orleans Children’s Advocacy Center and Audrey Hepburn CARE Center, two nonprofit programs for Children’s Hospital New Orleans that treated over 1,500 children annually. She serves on several state and national boards including as a member of the National Review Board for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, a member of the Executive Committee of the National Initiative to End Corporal Punishment, and as the Founder and First President of the Louisiana Alliance of Children’s Advocacy Centers.
Stacie regularly teaches on the prevention of child sexual abuse. In 2017, she launched the Child Advocacy Studies Training (CAST) Program as an adjunct professor at Tulane University.
Stacie has received numerous recognitions for her advocacy and was recognized for 11 successful legislative amendments. She was named the Champions for Children Awardee for Policy and Legislation by Prevent Child Abuse Louisiana, received the FBI Directors and Community Leadership Award, and the Health Care Hero Award by New Orleans City Business. Stacie was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award from Victims and Citizens Against Crime for her contributions to the field of child maltreatment. Past president, David Corwin, says, “APSAC is very fortunate to have Stacie LeBlanc as its new president. Stacie has worked tirelessly with staff, volunteers, and other leaders to help make APSAC the success it is today in serving the professionals who address child maltreatment helping to prevent child abuse and working to end corporal punishment of children by promoting “No Hit Zones.” APSAC Executive Director Janet Rosenzweig added, “We’re excited to see where Stacie’s vision takes us in the next two years!”
APSAC is known for its highly rated publications, including the peer reviewed journal Child Maltreatment, and national training events, including a major Colloquium, held biennially in New Orleans. The 2021 Colloquium will be held September 21-24 at the Sheraton New Orleans. For more information about APSAC or the Colloquium, visit www.apsac.org
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children, founded in 1986, is a nonprofit, national organization focused on meeting the needs of professionals engaged in all aspects of services for maltreated children and their families. Especially important to APSAC is the dissemination of state-of-the-art practice in all professional disciplines related to child abuse and neglect. APSAC membership includes physicians, attorneys, social workers, clinicians, educators and researchers, all dedicated to excellence in practice in child maltreatment.
