Charlie Parsons Retires, Board of Directors Appoints Francisco X. Pegueros as President and CEO
Los Angeles, Calif. – Charlie J. Parsons, President and Chief Executive Officer of D.A.R.E. America, retired January 2, 2013. Parsons joined D.A.R. E. America in 1996 as Executive Director & Chief Operations Officer and has served as President and Chief Executive Officer since March, 2005. He joined D.A.R.E. in 1996, following a distinguished 27 year career with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Under his leadership D.A.R.E. America has expanded its mission, embarked upon many groundbreaking initiatives, established a wide network of meaningful partnerships and expanded its international footprint.
“It has been an extraordinary pleasure to have had the opportunity to serve with D.A.R.E. We have accomplished a lot in recent years and the course has been set for continued progress”said Parsons.
While with the FBI, Mr. Parsons served in a number of prestigious training, field and management positions. From 1991 until joining D.A.R.E., he was in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Division, where he spearheaded successful efforts to reduce bank robberies and violent street gang activities. The Los Angeles Division is the Bureau’s second largest, with more than 1,000 staff serving a population of 19 million in seven Southern California counties.
“Charlie has set a vision for D.A.R.E.’s future that will thrive far beyond his tenure,” said Louis “Skip” Miller, Chairman of the D.A.R.E. America Board of Director’s.
On November 14, 2012 the Board of Directors’ named Francisco “Frank” X. Pegueros as the successor to Mr. Parsons. Mr. Pegueros’ association with D.A.R.E. began in 1984 while serving with the Los Angeles Police Department. Pegueros joined D.A.R.E. America in 1997 and most presently holds the position of Executive Director and Chief Operations Officer. Mr. Pegueros has provided leadership for many of D.A.R.E. America’s recent achievements such as partnership with The Pennsylvania State University for the creation of the new D.A.R.E. keepin’ it REAL curriculums, conference of consultative status by the United Nations, and the creation of curricular components addressing Rx/OTC abuse, internet safety and cyber security.
“For nearly thirty years D.A.R.E. has been a major part of my life, not one day has passed that I have not been thankful for the association. The students, D.A.R.E. officers and D.A.R.E. America staff make serving D.A.R.E. a pleasure. I look forward to contributing to the future accomplishments of the organization,” said Pegueros.
Francisco X. Pegueros is a graduate of the University of Southern California School of Policy, Planning and Development. He has been conferred with Bachelor of Science and MPA degrees by that institution.
Mr. Pegueros was selected as recipient of the initial Los Angeles Police Department William H. Parker Foundation Fellowship and is a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy.
Skip Miller said,“Charlie and Frank have worked together as a team for years, each has provided D.A.R.E. America with exemplary leadership. Under their direction, D.A.R.E. America has achieved extraordinary accomplishments and they have set the stage for D.A.R.E. to have a bright future. The Board is grateful for all that Charlie has given and are appreciative to have Frank assume the leadership of D.A.R.E. America.”
On November 14, 2012, the Board of D.A.R.E. America also voted Mr. Thomas Hazelton, President of Development, D.A.R.E. America, to serve upon the Board of Directors.
About D.A.R.E. America
This year millions of school children around the world will benefit from D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education), the highly acclaimed program that gives kids the skills they need to avoid involvement in drugs, gangs, and violence. D.A.R.E. was founded in 1983 in Los Angeles and has proven so successful that it is now being implemented in 75 percent of our nation’s school districts and in more than 47 countries around the world. D.A.R.E. is a police officer-led series of classroom lessons that teaches children from kindergarten through 12th grade how to resist peer pressure and live productive drug and violence-free lives.
America’s Favorite, Weed, Comes with Big Health Risks
From Psychology Today
KEY POINTS
- Young adults and teens can develop an addiction to weed and become psychotic.
- Many people don’t know that regular marijuana use may carry serious health risks, especially for the young.
- No medication is FDA-approved for treating…
Here’s what D.A.R.E. is teaching kids about weed
Aside from living through the first iteration of social media and being the final group to understand what an internet dial tone sound is, Millennials were also the first full generation to go through the classic Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) program....
Marion police officer talks about D.A.R.E. classes
From KCRG.com: Marion Police Officer Tom Daubs joins KCRG to talk about D.A.R.E. classes
Key Addiction Points You Need to Know
Substance use disorder (SUD) is the nation’s most pressing public health challenge, and the most urgent SUD in 2024 is opioid abuse and dependency. According to the CDC, more than one million people have died since 1999 from drug overdose…
Old Lyme Officer Revives D.A.R.E. Program After Two Decades Hiatus
Officer Stephen Hackett of the Old Lyme Police Department is set to become the town’s first Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) instructor in over two decades. With a new focus on skill-building, the updated D.A.R.E. program aims to empower the town’s youth to make responsible choices.
Mental Health Stigma: Life or Death
The pervasive stigma against people with addictions, particularly opioid use disorder (OUD), is a major problem requiring urgent attention in the United States. Stigma is likely at least part of the reason why only 1 in 5 individuals with opioid dependence receives…
Former YAB Member and D.A.R.E. Scholarship Awardee Julia Manning is now a Police Officer for the Park Ridge Police Department
Julia Manning was an active member of the YAB (Youth Advisory Board) from 2016 to 2019, and she is now proud to be an alumni of the program. In recognition of her outstanding achievements, she was honored with the prestigious 2019 D.A.R.E. America Louis 'Skip' Miller...
150-Plus Students Graduate Russell D.A.R.E. Program
Russell Elementary students graduated from the D.A.R.E. program at Russell-McDowell Intermediate School on Monday. About 153 fifth-grade students — all wearing white shirts that read “keep kids off drugs” — filled the gymnasium early afternoon Monday to be recognized...
Students Graduate from D.A.R.E. Program at Mary Queen of Peace
Four classes at Mary Queen of Peace in Mount Pearl have graduated from the RNC’s Drug Abuse Resistance Education program. The ten-week series of classroom lessons, led by an RNC officer to grade six students, teaches children how to live productive drug-free and...
Copyright © 2022 D.A.R.E. America. All Rights Reserved.
Copyright © 2022 D.A.R.E. America.
All Rights Reserved.