SalusWorld Welcomes New Members to its Board of Directors

DENVER - July 15, 2013 - PRLog -- SalusWorld (www.salusworld.org),a non-governmental organization that helps expand access to critical mental health services on a global level, has added two new members to its board of directors. The new members are Sama Blackwell and Leigh Picchetti.

“We are confident that Sama and Leigh will bring new and valuable skills to the board of directors,” said Dr. Elaine Hanson , Psy.D., executive director and founder of SalusWorld. “With their contributions, SalusWorld will be better positioned to grow awareness and support for our important mission and to expand our resources -- and therefore, expand the number of individuals we can help to heal from the effects of severe trauma.”

An experienced non-profit specialist, Sama Blackwell was most recently director of programs at LightHawk, serving the aviation conservation organization’s efforts in the US, Canada, Mexico and Central America.  As a member of the executive management team, Blackwell contributed to the growth and professionalization of this mid-sized conservation organization.  Prior to LightHawk, she worked on public lands issues at the Four Corners States office of The Wilderness Society (TWS).  At TWS, Blackwell was active in the Southern Rockies Conservation Alliance, a network of twenty-six conservation groups, and TWS’s BLM Action Center Team. She is a graduate of Wells College in upstate New York, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Ethics.  A licensed private pilot, retired black belt, avid cyclist, cyber-activist, and cofounder of Falling Leaf Farm in Niwot, Colo., Blackwell is based in Boulder, Colorado.

Leigh Picchetti is senior vice president of communications for Farm Credit, a cooperatively owned, nationwide network of financial service providers to agriculture, agribusinesses and rural infrastructure providers. She leads an award-winning team housed at Denver-based FCC Services that oversees national communications, corporate giving and internal communications for the network. Picchetti earned a Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from the University of Denver and a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies from the University of Iowa. A graduate of the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation “Leadership Denver” program and the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce “Chamber 100” program, Picchetti was a finalist for the Denver Business Journal's "Outstanding Women in Business" award in 2011.

SalusWorld’s philosophy is that empowering locally based counselors to treat the victims of severe trauma is essential to effective and sustainable results. The team’s mental health volunteer consultants travel around the globe to provide psychological education and support to local counselors who are assisting their neighbors. This capacity-building approach involves the transfer of know-how, the development of appropriate facilities, training in social services and overall psychological education and training.

ABOUT SALUSWORLD

SalusWorld is a non-governmental organization making vital contributions to communities suffering from the trauma of natural disasters, war atrocities, sexual violence, torture, statelessness and other human rights violations. Inspired by the way organizations like Doctors Without Borders treat the human body -- but concerned about healing the whole person -- Dr. Elaine Hanson, Psy.D., created SalusWorld to heal the emotional scars of trauma. SalusWorld empowers locally based counselors to treat the victims effectively and sustainability. The team’s mental health volunteer consultants travel around the globe to provide psychological education and support to local counselors who are attempting to assist their neighbors. To donate, volunteer or learn more, visit http://salusworld.org/.