Judges Panel

The "Other Mothers" Contest

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Teresa Scanlan

Miss America 2011

Teresa Scanlan was crowned Miss America 2011 on January 15, 2011, at the 90th Anniversary of the Miss America Pageant.  As the youngest Miss America in 78 years, Teresa is showing the country she is a leader and a role model for youth today.  When her year is over, Teresa plans to attend Patrick Henry College to study government.  Her dream is to become an attorney and eventually a judge or President of the United States of America.

"I am so excited to be a part of the 'Other Mothers' contest," Ms. Scanlan said.  "Miss America strives to give self-esteem and moral support to children who are sometimes desperately in need of guidance, just like Other Mothers do.  It is wonderful to honor the many women and men in America who care for children who are not their own."

Treena Glover

Treena has been a foster parent with SOS Children’s Villages for five years. She has fostered sixteen children and currently parents five children ages 18, 12, 5, 4 and 2.

Treena has worked as a Senior Accountant for the Financial Market Division at Cargill International, a Math Lecturer at Chicago State University, Daley College and at the Illinois Institute of Technology- Champs Program. She has been a math teacher at Betty Shabazz Charter School where she developed a Math Club and a math group called “Twilight Wonders.” 

Treena has written two books:  Who’s That Rocking the Child (recommended for ages 7 – 10) and No Hitting (recommended for toddlers). Treena is currently working on a motivational book for teenagers. In addition, Treena has been a member of Toastmasters for ten years where she served as Area Governor.

Treena is a graduate of Whitney M. Young Magnet High School and Chicago State University and has earned a B.S. in Accounting and an M.S. in Science and Mathematics.

Mike Gottfried

In 2000, Mike founded Team Focus, a comprehensive community outreach program for boys without fathers.  His vision and drive for the program is based on his life experiences.  Gottfried states:  “Growing up without a father around and knowing what it feels like, I have a desire to provide a place for young men to come and be encouraged, motivated and challenged.”  The goal of Team Focus is to provide fatherless young men ages 10 to 18 with leadership skills, guidance, Godly values and a continual relationship with a mentor. Through teamwork with the families, teachers and counselors, Team Focus offers support in a relaxed, cost-free atmosphere.

Mike Gottfried, who spent 12 successful seasons as a college football coach, is known as one of television’s most respected game analysts.  Since 1990, he has served as an ESPN college football analyst for ESPN’s Saturday Primetime telecasts.

A sought after motivational speaker, Gottfried travels throughout the United States speaking at colleges, high schools and corporations.  He also has spearheaded fund-raisers for charitable organizations in Alabama and Ohio.  Gottfried graduated from Morehead State (KY) in 1966 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in education and in 1973 received his Masters Degree of Education.  He has written two books: Coach’s Challenge and Wisdom from Winners.

Vy Higginsen

Vy Higginsen is an inspirational leader, the founder of a groundbreaking arts foundation, a motivational speaker, a media personality, and a marketing dynamo.

Vy has been surprising people and breaking through barriers her entire life. Born and raised in Harlem, she was one of the first black women ever to sell advertising for Ebony Magazine. At WBLS-FM, Vy was New York City’s first woman radio personality in prime time radio. In 1983, she co-wrote, produced and directed Mama, I Want to Sing, a creative and marketing phenomenon which became one of the biggest off-Broadway musicals in American history.

Vy, an ordained Interfaith minister, is the founder and CEO of the Mama Foundation for the Arts, which has discovered hundreds of talented young people, launched their careers in the performing arts and, literally, helped save and enrich their lives.

Vy, along with her husband Ken Wyrdo, was nominated for a Tony for producing August Wilson’s Joe Turner, Come & Gone. Using her tax refund, Vy created an innovative magazine, Unique NY, a black lifestyle publication. She’s been a contributing editor for Essence magazine and a contributing reporter for NBC-TV and the Metro Channel.

In 1998, Vy established the Mama Foundation for the Arts to restore Harlem as an international center of black culture and artistic expression.The not-for-profit organization provides education, training, employment and apprenticeship opportunities in the musical, theatrical, technical, and managerial arts. Vy also created Gospel for Teens, whose performance credits include the Apollo Theater, the Museum of Natural History, and with Madonna on MTV’s “Hope for Haiti Global Concert.” Gospel for Teens is the subject of a “60 minutes” special aired in April 2011.

Vy has degrees in Marketing and Merchandizing, and is a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology.

Heather Paul

As the CEO of the US headquarters of SOS Children’s Villages, Heather supports the SOS global network through fundraising and advocacy.  Heather travels extensively promoting SOS Villages and community-based family strengthening activities.  She also works closely with major donors, foundations and global corporations in support of over 500 SOS Children’s Villages.

As the former Executive Director of the National SAFE KIDS Campaign for a decade, Heather has a diverse background in children’s issues, public policy, communications and research.  She has lived in the Philippines where she taught and participated in anthropological fieldwork. Heather has also held positions in Washington, DC including Vice President of the National Health Council and Senior Research Associate with the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Heather holds a doctorate in American Studies from the University of Maryland, a Masters in American Literature and a B.A. in English from Ohio Wesleyan University.

Michael Sam

Michael was raised at the SOS Children’s Village in Tamale, Ghana, and remains close to his SOS Mother and SOS brothers and sisters. He visits Ghana each year and is currently raising funds for a technical library in Ghana. Michael says…

"My experience growing up in the SOS Village was like any typical family you can find in Ghana.  I was surrounded by 5 to 8 SOS brothers and sisters, a mother, and the director, whom we regarded as our village father. They were interested in my well-being and provided me with the necessary support. I can remember always playing soccer with brothers and living as a normal child, surrounded by my siblings, being taken care of by mother and going to school and enjoying life. The Village provided me with a secure and safe environment and resource; such as education, shelter and food, which allowed me to grow, learn and be independent.

I am always grateful for the opportunities that SOS Village provided me, and one of the ways I give back to the Village is to motivate my younger siblings to learn to read and write, by organizing a yearly award event, in which I buy gifts from the US and send to Ghana to be given to those who are performing well in school and also serve as role models to their brothers and sisters."

Michael graduated from the SOS Hermann Gmeiner International College in Tema, Ghana. He earned a BA and an MBA at University of Maryland and works as an IT Technology Consultant.

Erik Zimmerman

Erik oversees the development and management of generationOn online initiatives and non-profit partnership cultivation and engagement. generationOn is the global youth service movement igniting the power of all kids to make their mark on the world. By partnering with teachers, parents, schools, community organizations and businesses, generationOn gives kids the opportunity to see firsthand the issues in their communities and the tools and resources they need to respond and become part of the solution.

Erik joined generationOn having completed two years of service in the United States Peace Corps, working as a Natural Resources Management Extension Agent in Guinea, West Africa. He also served as a Crisis Corps (now Peace Corps Direct) Volunteer in Namibia, where he worked with the Ministry of Health and Human Services, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and the International Training and Education Center on HIV/AIDS (I-TECH) to set up a videoconferencing network used throughout the country by community and health officials for HIV/AIDS trainings, meetings, and conferences.

Erik holds a BA in Political Science from the University of New Hampshire, and an MA in Media Ecology from New York University's Steinhardt School of Education.

SOS Children's Villages - USA Staff

The staff of SOS USA are dedicated to furthering the programs of SOS Children's Villages around the world.  Every day, they witness the impact that SOS Mothers -- Other Mothers -- have on children whose biological families cannot care for them.