Safe and Sound Schools Strengthens Strategic Nonprofit Growth

Announces Rania Mankarious as Special Advisor for Strategic Growth

Newtown, Conn. – August 22, 2018 – Safe and Sound Schools today announced Rania Mankarious as special advisor for non-profit strategic growth. In this role, Ms. Mankarious will provide strategic direction and oversight of the organization’s funding initiatives, including partnerships, cause marketing campaigns, and grant applications.

<img decoding="async" class="wp-image-79224 size-medium lazyload" src="https://safeandsoundschools.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Rania-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /> Rania Mankarious, new Special Advisor for Strategic Growth for Safe and Sound Schools.

Ms. Mankarious currently leads Crime Stoppers of Houston, one of the largest public safety non-profit organizations in the State of Texas, since 2013. As its CEO, she brings years of experience working with non-profit organizations specifically the development of programming, strategic planning, development, and marketing. Most recently, Mankarious received recognition for building the first-ever Crime Stoppers of Houston headquarters, a public safety facility acting as a centralized hub for all things related to public safety. Additionally, studying school trends for over a decade, Mankarious launched the Crime Stoppers Safe School Institute, a program that is proactive in stopping school violence, school shootings, and terroristic threats while adapting to the growing concerns around the mental health and emotional health of students.

Mankarious has a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy, and a J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center. As a mother of three, she remembers the moment news broke of the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School and vowed to reshare her own work to increase the safety of all students, in all schools across Houston. Most recently she has been working with the Office of the Governor to increase Crime Stoppers of Houston’s Safe School Institute programming across the State of Texas.

“We have been working with Rania Mankarious in a consulting capacity for several months, and we are thrilled she has agreed to solidify our relationship in this important advisory role,” said Michele Gay, executive director and co-founder of Safe and Sound Schools.  “Rania’s impressive background strengthens our leadership team, and she has already helped Safe and Sound Schools garner additional resources we need to expand our programs and services, reaching more school communities.”

“Public safety is a basic human right. While I care for and remain committed to the security of all, I am especially invested in the safety of all students, in all schools, at all times across this nation,” said Rania Mankarious, J.D. “This issue must be addressed methodically, systematically, and with a great understanding of the risks posed against today's student – whether due to violence, social media, bullying, mental health, or even just extreme weather. School safety requires deeply complex solutions that do not rise or fall with political emotions or rhetoric. It’s my honor to join forces with Safe and Sound Schools to further their mission of providing more communities with the tools to make their schools safer.”

For more information about Safe and Sound Schools, including ways to donate and join its corporate partnership programs, visit https://safeandsoundschools.org/support-safe-and-sound-schools/.

About Safe and Sound Schools

Founded in 2013, Safe and Sound Schools works with school communities and mental health, law enforcement, and safety professionals to create and ensure the safest possible learning environment for all youth. The non-profit organization, started by parents who lost their children in the tragedy at Sandy Hook, delivers crisis-prevention, response, and recovery programs, tools, and resources, backed by national experts, to educate all members of the school community, from students and parents, to teachers and administrators, to law enforcement and local leaders. Winner of the 2015 SBANE New England Innovation Award for nonprofits, Safe and Sound Schools continues to answer the growing needs of school communities with custom programs, assessments, and training, reaching schools in nearly every state in the country. For more information, visit safeandsoundschools.org.

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