| April 16, 2008 |
For More Information Contact:
Ed Shelleby
(202) 662-3611
WASHINGTON, DC—The Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) announced today it has added three new members to its Board of Directors: child advocate and acclaimed sportswriter D.D. Eisenberg; Lan Bentsen, Director and Executive Vice President of Frontera Resources; and Pat Fallon, Chairman of international branding and communications agency, Fallon Worldwide. They bring to CDF’s Board of Directors a wealth of experience from diverse fields and will provide valuable expertise to the organization as it works to ensure a level playing field for every child in America.
“CDF is thrilled to have these new members join our Board of Directors,” said CDF President Marian Wright Edelman. “D.D. Eisenberg, Lan Bensten and Pat Fallon are talented and committed leaders who know that every step we take to improve the lives of children improves the lives of all of us. We will benefit greatly from their guidance and leadership as CDF continues its mission to protect children now and cultivate the child advocates of tomorrow.”
Pat Fallon is the Chairman of Fallon Worldwide, an internationally recognized branding and communications company that has provided pro bono services for CDF’s advocacy campaigns for more than two decades. He founded Fallon in 1981 and currently focuses on nurturing the company’s culture, managing and evolving the global vision across the three continents on which it operates, and working on clients’ businesses from the frontlines. Fallon Worldwide manages the consumer voice of some of the world’s leading brands, including Sony, NBC, Nestlé Purina, Nordstrom, BBC, TIME Magazine, Travelers, TheLadders.com, Eurostar and Holiday Inn hotels. He is also the co-author of Juicing the Orange: How to Turn Creativity into a Powerful Business Advantage (Harvard Business School Press 2006). The book discusses the agency’s principles, gives a behind-the-scenes look at its most famous cases, and shows readers how creativity can be leveraged for startling business results. Mr. Fallon’s extensive knowledge of branding issues combined with his strong strategic approach to marketing will make him an invaluable resource to CDF’s Board.
D.D. Eisenberg brings to CDF a background as both a lifelong child advocate and accomplished journalist. She was one of the first woman sportswriters in the country, covering local, college and international sports for the Philadelphia Bulletin in the 1970s and 1980s. Ms. Eisenberg has served as an anchor for an all sports cable station in Philadelphia and as a feature reporter for an ABC affiliated station. She has devoted most of her life to working with at-risk youth, serving as President of the Board of Big Brothers/Big Sisters Association of Philadelphia. Later when moving to the greater Washington area, she served as an active board member and later as Board President of the Washington Tennis & Education Foundation, offering sports and educational programs to disadvantaged youth. Ms. Eisenberg’s lifelong dedication to children’s advocacy makes her an important addition to CDF’s Board.
Lan Bentsen joins CDF’s Board of Directors after serving on the Advisory Board for CDF’s Texas office. He brings with him years of leadership experience as the co-founder of Frontera Resources, where he has served as a Director and Executive Vice President since 1996. Prior to Frontera, Mr. Bentsen co-founded and served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Security National Bank in Houston, Texas. Mr. Bentsen founded and operated Lan Bentsen Interests, a national real estate development company, as well as Sovereign National Management, a national real estate and asset manager. He has served on the boards of three publicly traded NASDAQ companies: BMA Insurance, Lab Holdings and Seafield Capital. A graduate of Harvard Business School, Mr. Bentsen serves as Honorary Consul of the Republic of Georgia to the United States. He is a member of the American Leadership Forum, the World Presidents Organization and CDF’s Texas Advisory Board. Mr. Bentsen’s leadership experience and commitment to CDF will help bolster CDF’s ability to continue its legacy of advocacy for children.
For more information about the Children’s Defense Fund, visit www.childrensdefense.org.