JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (July 26, 2022) – The Monique Burr Foundation for Children (MBF) is proud to announce the appointment of changemaker and education equality advocate Tanya Ramos-Puig as Chief Executive Officer. Building on MBF’s 25-year history of protecting children, Ramos-Puig will lead MBF into its next season of achieving its mission to educate and empower all children and teens against abuse, bullying, digital dangers, and other forms of child victimization.
“In 1997, MBF began as a legacy to my late wife, Monique Burr. Today, after developing multiple evidence-based and trauma-informed programs for children and teens, the Foundation welcomes a new dynamic leader with vast experience in the non-profit sector. We believe that Tanya’s commitment to our life-changing work will further our reach and impact,” said Ed Burr, MBF Founder and Board Chairman. “I also want to thank our outgoing CEO, Lynn Layton, for her commitment and leadership over the past 14 years.”
“I am humbled and honored to serve as the new leader of MBF, an organization with a proven track record of educating and empowering children across the globe with tools and strategies they can use to help adults keep them safe,” said Ramos-Puig. “Working alongside our passionate MBF team, the board, and supporters, I am confident the next chapter will prove to be one of growth and sustainability as we work to fulfill our mission of protecting children.”
For nearly three decades, Ramos-Puig has devoted her career to improving educational opportunities and life outcomes for youth in the most under-resourced communities around the world.
She recently served as President at The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation (LGCF), the philanthropic arm of The Latin Recording Academy®. With a history of growing organizations through her key leadership roles – including CEO at Pencils of Promise, CRO at Education Pioneers and The Children’s Aid Society, where she received the Annie E. Casey Foundation Award – Ramos-Puig is known for being a tireless advocate for educational equity. She is an alumna of Coro New York Leadership Center and INROADS, serves as a board member at both Raised by US and Classy.org, and has served as an Adjunct Professor at LaGuardia Community College.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from NYU, a Master of Science in Urban Policy and Management from The New School, where she received a Jacob Kaplan Fellowship, and graduated from the Executive-Level Program at the Graduate School of Business at Columbia University’s Institute for Not-for-Profit Management.
The Monique Burr Foundation for Children (MBF) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1997 in remembrance of Monique Burr, a devoted child advocate. MBF Prevention Education Programs include MBF Child Safety Matters®, MBF Teen Safety Matters®, MBF Athlete Safety Matters®, and MBF After-School Safety Matters®. The programs are comprehensive, evidence-based, trauma-informed prevention programs that educate and empower children and adults with information and strategies to prevent, recognize, and respond appropriately to abuse, bullying, cyberbullying, digital dangers, exploitation, and human trafficking. MBF Programs have been delivered to millions of youth throughout the U.S. and across the globe.
PHOTO CREDIT: David Lang
PR CONTACT: Maxine McBride (904) 703-5326 or [email protected]
MBF CONTACT: Tanya Ramos-Puig (904) 642-0210 or [email protected]
There’s not a child in the world who can’t benefit from this program. There are so many instances where we see children who have been damaged and hurt. Things happened to them and we think, if they’d only had this program, if they’d only had the benefit of this education, that might not have happened to them. If we can prevent that from happening to a single child, then it’s worth all the effort we have put forth.
The MBF Teen Safety Matters curriculum hosts an in-depth approach to important social and safety concerns relevant to youth. The program content is age-appropriate with engaging activities, jargon, and realistic situations to positively promote a relatable and impacting learning experience…Teen Safety Matters is an educational benefit to all parties involved – students, parents, facilitators, and schools.
I heard about the program through my son. He came home…and showed me the safety rules. I cannot thank the Foundation enough; to have other people who are also concerned about my child’s safety and the safety of other kids is wonderful. I especially like the program’s focus on the prevention side.
