Above The Fray Brings In Digital All-Stars

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Jan. 7, 2015 - PRLog -- Above The Fray (http://www.BeAboveTheFray.org), a nonprofit dedicated to empowering safe and responsible social media users, is thrilled to announce partnerships with two of the world’s leading digital experts, Tony Vargas, CSSLP, CISSP-ISSAP, Security+ (https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=44891469&authType=OPENLINK&authToken=i1kI&locale=en_US&srchid=1558408461406307286289&srchindex=1&srchtotal=303&trk=vsrp_people_res_name&trkInfo=VSRPsearchId%3A1558408461406307286289%2CVSRPtargetId%3A44891469%2CVSRPcmpt%3Aprimary) and Megan Maas, M.S. (http://www.meganmaas.com/)

“This is huge,” says Thomas Dodson (http://www.twitter.com/shockthomas), CEO of Above The Fray. ‘It’s bigger than huge, really. This is like signing Kobe Bryant and LeBron James to play on your basketball team. We now have two smart, highly respected people in their fields supporting our work. Their insight, experience, and dedication to improving lives will instantly bolster our Above The Fray program. And I love that they’re hometown heroes. This demonstrates, again, that Sacramento is a leading city for good people doing good work in the digital space. Our city is indomitable, and now the world will know it.”

Above The Fray is partnering with the (ISC)² Sacramento Chapter, and its Co-Founder, Chairman, and President, Tony Vargas, CSSLP, CISSP-ISSAP, Security+ (https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=44891469&aut...).   The (ISC)² Sacramento Chapter will serve as the Cyber Security advisor for Above The Fray, supporting Above The Fray with presentations, research, and solutions for the myriad issues associated with keeping digital citizens safe. The (ISC)² Sacramento Chapter is a 501(c)3 nonprofit focused on providing Cyber Security awareness for children, parents, teachers, and seniors in the Sacramento region, Northern California, and beyond.  Tony is a frequent speaker, presenting to groups around the world on numerous topics related to Cyber Security.

“The (ISC)² Sacramento Chapter looks at the strategic partnership with Above The Fray as an important milestone for our organization. Both organizations working together will help make the world a safer place,” says Tony Vargas. “The partnership is the start of something truly special.”

Above The Fray is also partnering with Sacramento native Megan Maas, M.S. (http://www.meganmaas.com/), a Sacramento State (http://www.csus.edu/) graduate, and a Ph.D. candidate at Penn State University, and one of the leading experts on sexual media use in adolescence. Megan speaks around the country on adolescent sexuality, pornography use, sexual socialization, pornography use in romantic relationships, and parent-child communication about sexuality.

“I’m so excited to contribute to such a timely and very much needed program,” says Megan. “For years I’ve been working as a sex educator and researcher, hoping for a program like Above The Fray to launch, and now it’s here! So many of the teens and college students I work with use the internet to learn about sex and to express their sexuality. We need to systematically inform our youth and the people who care for them, of the ways in which technology can be beneficial or harmful to young people as they cultivate their sexual selves.“

Above The Fray officially launched in September, as a resource for parents, teachers, and youth. The program is unique because it proactively addresses the numerous issues youth face online, such as cyberbullying, sexting, online predators, and more.

“These vital issues can no longer simply be discussed in silos,” says Thomas Dodson. “We applaud all of the conversations happening around these topics, but we have to look at the big picture. Talking only about cyberbullying, or only about sexting isn’t going to cut it. To help youth navigate the digital wilderness, we have to openly and honestly address all of these issues together.”

Much of Above The Fray’s proprietary material comes from a series of focus groups held earlier this year with youth from across Northern California. The focus groups were led by Sacramento State professor Shawna Malvini Redden, Ph.D. (http://drmalviniredden.com/)

Above The Fray is currently booking presentations across the country. For more information, please visit www.BeAboveTheFray.org.