Cheer Out” – Avia Parker & Cassandra Cardenas (former Pro Cheerleaders) – Florida Launch 2015 Auditions March 25th

Here is a “Cheer Out” to member Cassandra Cardenas and Alumni Cheerleaders member, Avia Parker!! Congratulations are in order with them being chosen as the coaches for the newest Pro Team in South Florida, 2015 Florida Launch Lacrosse (MLL)!!  

Auditions are March 25th in Boca Raton, FL.  For more details, please email danceteam@floridalaunchlacrosse.com.

Avia Parker  

Originally from Kentucky Avia started her professional career with (NIFL) arena football. Dancing for two seasons and creating choreography for the Lexington Horsemen Fillies dance team she then took her talent to the NFL and cheered for the Cincinnati Bengals. She has been a Cheer USA coach, teaching young girls the fundamentals of cheer and dance as well as creating and orchestrating her own cheer and dance camp for urban children from her home town Lexington, Kentucky. Now residing in Florida, Avia continues to teach master dance classes to young women looking to prepare for dance auditions. She has recently provided choreography for the Palm Beach Makos cheerleaders. She was voted best cheer/dance team (NIFL) and featured in Maxim 2007 Girls of NFL.

Cassandra Cardemas

Cassandra Cardenas moved from Columbus, Ohio in October. She immediately obtained a position on the Strikers Dance Team in Fort Lauderdale. While in Columbus, Cassandra danced for theMachine Dance Team, Columbus’ major league lacrosse team. She is also an instructor and choreographer for the renowned Fort Lauderdale Children’s theatre.

Cassandra received her degree from Otterbein University in Columbus, Ohio and minored in dance. While at Otterbein she performed and choreographed for the dance team and was very involved in the theatre and dance department. Cassandra performed in several musicals, student distinction projects, workshops and dance concerts. She continued to choreograph and hold technique and master classes for the students on the current Otterbein University dance team after her graduation.

Cassandra has quite a bit of experience instructing as well. She was the Director of Dance and dance team coach at St. Ursula Academy in Toledo, Ohio. She also taught at Dance FX Academy and Next Stage Studios, both in Toledo, Ohio as well. Cassandra choreographed countless musicals for both high school and community theatre all over Ohio and South West Michigan.

Cassandra was asked to join the Florida Launch as the head coach and was thrilled to accept the position.

CFL Toronto Argos Cheerleaders Alumni Reunion!

On October 18th at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, fans were treated to an exciting halftime show performed by the CFL Toronto Argos Cheerleader Alumni. The event was part of the Argos’ annual PINK game to raise money and awareness for women’s cancers. This year’s cause specifically was Ovarian cancer. Touches of teal were sported by the ladies, among the PINK and of course, the Argos’ traditional double blue colours.

Close to 100 ladies, who cheered for the Argos from the 1970’s up to 2013, performed a five-minute routine that featured retro, rock, hip hop and pop music. After just a few pre-event rehearsals and a quick run-through all together before the game, the talented ladies of the double blue took to the field at half-time to thunderous applause. They danced while video images of the Argos cheerleaders from many decades graced the Jumbotron.

(1970’s-2013 Alumni)

The groups who performed include the ‘Double Blue Thunder’ Argos Alumni Cheerleaders (1996-2013) and the Argos Sunshine Girls (1970’s-1996).

(1996-2013 Alumni) 

Women’s cancers have touched the lives of each of these alumni, either directly or through family members/friends battling the disease. Thus, this performance was an important demonstration of support and of teamwork to further research, treatment and support.

The Toronto Argos played the Montreal Alouettes at this home game. While the Argos lost this particular game, it was still a resounding victory for the ladies and the PINK cause!

Besides the game performance itself, this experience represented a special opportunity to reconnect with former teammates, share memories and enjoy time together with our Alumni sisters. Following the game we danced the night away in downtown Toronto!  I was honored to participate in this game with my fellow Alumni for the fourth year in a row and we are already looking forward to next year!

Submitted by:  Elizabeth Morgan, Alumni CFL Toronto Argonauts, CFL Hamilton Tiger Cats and NFL Buffalo Bills Cheerleader.

Ashley Worrell-Mitchell – Former AFL, NBA, & NFL Cheerleader/Dancer

Alumni Cheerleaders is excited to share some of the accomplishments of member, Ashley Worrell-Mitchell.  This talented young lady trained in voice, dance, and piano is an independent Dance Choreographer.  She started dancing at age 3 with tap and ballet, and has trained over the past 20 in jazz, tap, lyrical, hip-hop, ballet, pom/drill, and social.  Ashley is currently the Dance Team Coach at Missouri Western State University.

It is always an honor and huge accomplishment to make a cheerleading/dance team.  However, Ashley has cheered for the AFL, NFL, and NBA.  From 2000-2001, she was a member of the Dallas Mavericks Dance Team.  This talented young lady then became a member of the San Antonio Spurs Dance Team from 2002-2004.  After dancing in the NBA, she became a cheerleader in the NFL for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2004.  Her last professional team she cheered and danced for was for the AFL as a Kansas City Brigade Girl from 2006-2009.

Ashley’s latest accomplishment is publishing a book in 2010.  It is “Half-time Highlights: A Guide to Dancing in the NBA/NFL“. 

 You may find it online at www.lulu.com and www.amazon.com      Way to go Ashley!!

Pennie Orcutt – Former LA Rams & LA Express Cheerleader

We found out what one of our many talented Alumni Cheerleaders members has been up to.  Pennie Orcutt is a former LA Rams and LA Express Cheerleaders and shares with us her latest news and accomplishments.

I started out as a dancer and trained with the prestigious London of Academy of Ballet in Canada.  Moving back to California in Junior High, I saw how dance and cheerleading were related, both as an expression of movement and energy.  I cheered and danced through high school on the Capistrano Valley Champion Song Squad and was honored by being chosen as “Dancer of the Year.” I continued to cheer at the college level at Long Beach State on a Champion Song Squad led by national cheer/dance chorographer Rey Lozano (Recognized as one of the 25 most influential people in cheerleading.) It was a natural transition to audition for the LA Express as one the original USFL Cheerleaders. I cheered for two years before becoming a Los Angeles Rams Cheerleader from 1985 –1988. I loved the cheering and loved the opportunity it presented to travel around the world.

Dancing turned to acting after I received my degree in Bachelor of Fine Arts from Long Beach State.  I have starred in Independent film, commercials and soap operas. I became fascinated with production and I began producing plays, showcases, and small film productions.

I decided to concentrate on producing full-time when I was befriended by producer David Jones (Catherine Zeta-Jones’ brother.) David became my mentor for a short time but in that limited amount of time I learned quickly. The transition from actor to producer felt natural and I have recently produced the horror/comedy feature “Death By Engagement“.

“Death By Engagement” has secured North American DVD rights with Maverick Entertainment and is available in Blockbuster, Best Buy, and on Netflix. I have also sold it Internationally and it is currently running on Showtime and The Movie Channel.

“Death By Engagement” has twelve festival wins both domestically and internationally, along with a special Producers Choice award for me at The Sci Fi, Fantasy, Horror and Supernatural Fill Festival.

 “Little Fish Strange Pond” starring Matthew Modine,  Adam Baldwin, Paul Adelstein, Zach Galifianakis, is my third producing venture. I worked along side veteran producers Margo and David Kravis. This film will be released by Lions Gate 2010.

I’m excited by my most recent endeavors as a producer for television. I have various projects in the works but most interesting to this website is a cheerleading project that I’m currently negotiating with networks on. I can’t wait to share the details with everyone in the coming months and I am proud to employ some of my cheerleading colleagues who are so multi-talented and successful.

On October 3, 2010 I took the field with 100 former Rams Cheerleaders to “Cheer for a Cure” in St. Louis.  A portion of the proceeds of this game went toward to help fight breast cancer.  The alumni performed a 5-minute half-time routine choreographed by John Peters.

 I appreciate the love and support of my beautiful family who help guide me through all the day to day challenges.

 

 

Lia Duncan

Alumni Cheerleaders found out what member, Lia Duncan, who is a former Sacramento Kings Dancer, San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders Cheerleader has been up too.  She shares a great story and impressive background with us about how she got started with cheerleading and dancing.

I was born in Honolulu, Hawaii but raised here is Sacramento, California.  I guess I started like many professional dance/cheerleaders by splitting my time between the dance company and cheerleading squad in high school.  Most of my dance training post high school was at a local studio in Sacramento, Step 1, run by Pepper Von.

The first team I ever cheered for was the Sacramento Surge.  They were a professional football team in the now defunct World League of American Football, which later became NFL Europe.  While it was a small league, it gave me the foundation of working within a team and professionalism.  Our director of our squad, the “California Girls Cheerleaders,” was the former Director of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (DCC), Debbie Bond.  She definitely ran our squad with the same philosophy of DCC, stressing discipline and excellence. 

I also cheered in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for the Sacramento Gold Miners, as a “Pure Gold Cheerleader.”  This squad was directed by Pepper Von and Mary Wright.  Again, it was an experience working with a smaller league but the Sacramento fans were very supportive and loyal to their team.

Another one of the teams I had the privilege of cheering for was the NBA’s Sacramento Kings, as a member of the “Fastbreak Dance Team.”  Heidi Hopper was our director and a former pro cheerleader herself, with the San Francisco 49ers Gold Rush.  Heidi also ran her squad with a healthy dose of discipline and it was a much more dance-oriented squad.  Heidi’s goal was to have a very well rounded dance team, which is what we were.  After Heidi’s retirement from the team, Wendy Rogers took over.  Wendy was also a former Sac Kings Fastbreak Dance Team member from my first year.

The greatest thing that the “Fastbreak Dance Team” taught me was perseverance.  I did not make the team my first time auditioning.  Even more challenging, I did not make it back after being on the team my first year.  That taught me not only to be humble but not to take my position on the team for granted.  I did later rejoin the team for an additional two years with was fantastic.

The season following my last year on Kings, I auditioned for and joined the Oakland Raiders as a member of the “Raiderettes.”  The team was directed by Mary Barnes.  Our head choreographer was Karen Kovac and assistant choreographer was Ramona Braganza.  The Raiderettes was the first team I cheered for that had an even greater following beyond the local area of the team.  I definitely felt the difference cheering for such a huge organization within the NFL.  I had a great time cheering for them all three years.

My swan song as a pro cheerleader came as a member of the San Francisco 49ers, “Gold Rush Cheerleaders.” Again, there was such a mystique with cheering for the 49ers on “Goldrush”  Like the Oakland Raiders, the 49ers had a huge fan base and I always felt the passion of the fans throughout the country on various promotional events.

One thing that sounds chiche’ but is very true in my case is the friendships that I made in my years of cheering.  I had dance team members from all of the pro teams that I cheered for in my wedding party.  Many of them are my closest friends to this day.  The years that I cheered professionally were as follows:

1991- Sacramento Surge, “California Girls Cheerleaders”

1991-92 – Sacramento Kings, “Fastbreak Dance Team”

1994 – Sacramento Gold Miners, “Pure Gold Cheerleaders”

1994-96 – Sacramento kings, “Fastbreak Dance Team”

1996-99 – Oakland Raiders, “Raiderettes”

2000 – San Francisco 49ers, “Gold Rush Cheerleaders”

As for my life now, I feel like an average, everyday wife and mother.  I have been married to my wonderful husband, Sean for six and a half years and we have a beautiful four year old son named J.C. (John Curtis).  Like most mothers, I juggle home life with my job.  I work for the California Prison Health Care Services.

On the side, I enjoy working out and taking fitness classes…Zumba is my favorite and I recently completed my instructor training in Zumba!  I was drawn to Zumba because of the Latin dance influence as well as the fact that anyone can do it.  It’s a ton of fun.

Anneka Maquay – Program Director for “Just For Kix Program” in Atlanta

Alumni Cheerleaders caught up with former Kansas City Chiefs Cheerleader Anneka Maquay and found out what she’s excited about.  Congratulations to our Alumni Cheerleaders member, Anneka!  She is the new Program Director for the FIRST “Just For Kix Program” to hit the south.  Hurry… The first Registration is this Saturday, December 5th from 1pm – 3pm at A.I.M Dance Studios in Atlanta, GA.

When: Saturday, December 5^th

Time: 1 PM – 3PM

Where: A.I.M. Dance Studios (383 Marietta Street Suite B Atlanta, GA 30313).  There is parking directly across the street from the studio and they will be someone waiting in the parking lot with parking passes so you won’t have to pay for parking!!

Just For Kix is a program of dance team instruction that allows young people to experience the fun and rewards of dancing with a team.  Along with dance skills & many dance styles, dancers learn cooperation, perseverance & team work.  A minimum of four performances are scheduled throughout the season to include a year-end Spring Show.  Her classes will run from January – April and are offered to children Pre K through 7th Grade.  There are no auditions for classes, which run once a week.  They welcome novice as well as experienced dancers

Here is Anneka’s story she shared with us:

I was born and raised in Kansas City MO.  At the young age of 4, I grew up knowing I wanted to be a dancer!  From the studio to the field!  High school Football field that is!  In High School is where I experienced being both a dancer and a cheerleader.  The hard work paid off and I was a pro at hitting a double pirouette and no longer a novice at hitting a chair with my stunt partner.  I wasn’t able to have the best of both worlds in college, so I decided to split my talents up…my first two years I decided to cheer.  I then auditioned for the Minor Soccer Leagues Kansas City Comets Dance Team, made the team and graduated college a dancer.

After college and my final season as a Comets Dancer, I wanted to step it up a notch and pursued my dream to be an NFL cheerleader.  In April of 2004, I was a Kansas City Chiefs Cheerleader!!!  After my 2nd year of cheering I wanted to continue my passion and continue performing.  From there I went to both Houston and Chicago to audition for Beyonce.  I was told “I wasn’t allowed to outshine the star!” and that boost of confidence moved me right on to Atlanta, GA where I’ve performed at The Dirty Awards, as an extra on MTV’s Made and in several showcases.

While residing in Atlanta, I also decided to start my own mentor program known as Releve Dance and Mentor Program, where my motto is to uplift and encourage young girls through dance and mentoring.  After receiving an email from a good friend in Minnesota, I saw an opportunity to become a Program Director for Just For Kix.  I applied and here I am…  Just For Kix Program Director of Atlanta.  Now, Just For Kix has several programs in the Midwest (i.e., Minnesota, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa just to name a few), but Just For Kix Atlanta is the FIRST Program in the South!!  So… I’m excited to be the FIRST Just For Kix Program to hit the south.  

As many times as I’ve “retired” and tried to let it go…we as dancers know….you just can’t shake it!  So I plan to continue mentoring and performing until I’m 150…as both are what I love and are the exact reasons why I was put on the earth!!!  To entertain and give back!

Now, I got really excited going through those pictures!  Oh to relive those times.  I miss it so… much!!!

Anneka's final season

Erica Emond

Alumni Cheerleaders found out what member, Erica Emond has been up to.  She is a role model, cheerleader coach, and inspiration for young girls and shares her story with us. 

My name is Erica Emond.  I have cheered ALL MY LIFE!

I started out cheering for Taunton Cubs (Taunton, MA) football when I was in elementary school (1984).  I cheered through 8^th grade (1989) for this team.  I also cheered for my middle school (Mulcahey Mustangs) and was a captain in 7^th and 8^th grade (1988-89).  I tried out in 8^th grade for the Varsity team at Taunton High School.  Three f my girlfriends and I that cheered together in middle school made the varsity squad.  My 4 years of cheering in high school (1989 – 1993) were the best!  My best friends are the girls I cheered with.  Great times were had at games, competition and most of all cheerleading camp.  My funniest memory of camp was winning an impromptu lip singing contest to “Baby Got Back!”  My sophomore year we were state champions and placed usually in the top 3 spots at all the local events.

Once I entered college, I retired from cheerleading for a few years.  I commuted to Bridgewater State College and earned a Chemistry degree with minors in Biochemistry and Physics.  I got asked by a local middle school to choreograph their halftime routine while I was in college.  I had a heavy workload at school, but managed to find the time to do it. 

After graduation (1998), I got a full-time job at a pharmaceutical company in Brockton, MA.  My little cousin was 6 years old at the time and signed up to cheer for Taunton Pop Warner.  They were in need of coaches and my uncle put my name down.  Little did I know what I was getting myself into!  I ended up coaching the next 8 years for Pop Warner.  I stayed with the same group of girls, more or less, and we worked our way up from the Mighty Mites to the A team.  I went from teaching them how to spell TAUNTON in a cheer, to how to do basket tosses and heel stretches.  This team of 35 cheerleaders was phenomenal!  I became good friends with some of the parents and got to see a group of girls grow to be young ladies.  During those 8 years, I got engaged, married (2000), and had a son (Matthew) in 2004 and was pregnant with my daughter (Jillian) in 2006.  So life was very busy for me.  These cheerleaders placed 1^st in the Hockomock League in 2004 and 2^nd in 2005.  They went on to a regional competition from there where they placed 8^th in the region, 2^nd in their state!  We had 7 basket tosses hit all at once.  Heel stretches, liberties, you name it!  When they graduated 8^th grade and moved to high school, I retired from coaching for a few years.

Now my son Matthew is 5 and my daughter Jillian is 3.  He plays flag football for the Taunton Cubs.  I was asked to join them as a coach.  I am currently coaching the C team (ages 8 – 9) for my first season back.  It’s very hectic with working, a family, and choreographing a routine, but I love it.  I enjoy seeing the girls learn from me.  I like knowing they’ll take this season and all they’ve learned and apply it to their cheering in the future.  I’ve always said I think I am a better coach than I was a cheerleader.  I loved cheering and competing, but I get to do both and connect with the youth of today.  I love to be a positive influence on them and show them, with strong will and effort, there’s so much they can accomplish.  Those Pop Warner girls are now seniors in high school.  I went to a Friday night game and saw them cheering the other night.  We took pictures together and one commented “where it all started”.  I’m glad they think of me that way.  I like to know they enjoyed their years with me and I hope to carry on that image with all my future teams. 

I look forward to my Jillian being able to cheer.  She runs around the house now saying “5-6-7-8” and then does a pike jump or toe-touch.  I can’t wait to be the parent watching their daughter.  I can’t imagine the nerves!!

My Mom (Norma Pimenta) wrote a book “Smiling Eyes” and it travels through all my years of cheering and coaching as well as hers.  You can read all about our successes and failures throughout our cheer careers.  It also entails a tragic accident she was in and the rehabilitation process, along with losing my grandmother to a fast spreading cancer.  It’s a very relatable book for all of us that have lost someone dear and for all of us that love the sport of cheering.

Alumni Cheerleaders highly recommends this great book “Smiling Eyes” for your reading pleasure.  The author is Alumni Cheerleaders member, Norma Pimenta – Contact her at smiling.eyes2005@yahoo.com

 

 

 

 

 

Cheryl Malone-Gargiulo – Former Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleader

Alumni Cheerleaders caught up with member and former Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleader Cheryl Malone-Gargiulo.  Cheryl cheered from 1965 to 1969 for the Eagles and toured with a USO group during the Viet Nam war.  She still lives in Philadelphia, PA and works for the Philadelphia Recreation Department.  Cheryl shares her story of her days cheering for the Eagles.

Years ago right out of high school I saw the ad in the paper for a new cheerleading squad that was forming for the Philadelphia Eagles called the “Eagelettes“.  I decided to go and try out, since I had been dancing since the age of 4.  When I arrived at the site of the tryouts there were over 700 girls there.  They narrowed us down to the final 60.  We were backed up on the field by a huge band call the Philadelphia Eagles “Sound of Brass”.  Our choreographer was a former Radio City Rockette.

The owner of the Eagles decided to get our outfits designed by a designer in New York.  This was during the 60’s and the “Mod”, Twiggy and mini skirt era, and history was made with our uniforms.  During the years after my cheerleading days, I still remained active.  I taught dance and fitness to children and seniors in Philadelphia area and coached a high school and college cheerleading squad.  My daughter Jenn was a cheerleader in high school and college and coached for the Philadelphia Kixx Soccer Team.  Today, we both work together on a recreation dance team. 

I was very proud and then and still am, to have been an NFL Cheerleader.

Cheryl Malone

Would You Like Empty Calories With That?

Check out the  September Nutrition & Fitness Tips from Alumni Cheerleaders member Laura Eilers.  Laura is a former Kansas City Chiefs and Kansas City Wizards Cheerleader and is currently a cheerleader on the sidelines for the St. Louis Rams.

On the weekends, I usually stop by Panera/St Louis Bread Company for a few hours to get some concentrated work finished and enjoy a cup of coffee. Today while standing at the register, $1.87 in hand for my hazelnut coffee, I immediately felt my sweet tooth kick in. Why would this happen? Could it be because of the sign right under my nose saying “Would you like a cookie with that? Just $.99!”

Since when does it makes sense to just add a cookie to your meal? What about adding an apple, some almonds, raisins, something to truly ADD to your meal not ruin it? Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy cookies as much as the next person, but it’s obvious why we gain a few pounds here and there when food is constantly being thrown at us! The problem is that it’s not just teenage cashiers forcing cookies down our throats, it’s our co-workers, family and friends as well.

As a personal trainer, clients oftentimes ask how to resist the pressures imposed while eating out with co-workers or during in-office lunch meetings. They don’t want to be singled out as “the one” who refuses food or insists on bringing their lunch during meetings. Well I’m here to tell you that it’s okay to be “the one.” Yes, you may get teased, but when you commit to being healthy throughout the day, you are more guaranteed for success. The fact is that most people wake up with the intent to eat healthy, and by noon or mid-afternoon, when you’ve shattered your goal, you continue on this path the rest of the day. I’m sure you’ve heard yourself say, “I might as well have a fast food dinner… I already ruined my diet today anyway.”

Here are some tips to make your work place a little more healthy. Suggest scheduling meetings at 12:45, which gives you time for lunch before business. Tell your boss that this produces a more effective meeting and cuts back on costs. If you are forced into a lunch meeting, let the organizer know that you won’t need to place an order. Your boss will actually appreciate that she doesn’t have to pay for you. Or if you have lunch out, eat beforehand and order a warm cup of coffee or tea. If you must, tell your co-workers that you forgot about the meeting, ate early and are no longer hungry.

And what about the time you spend catching up with friends over drinks or lunch? Consider an alternative meeting place! Many of you live in sunny California or somewhere fantastic, but for those of us in the Midwest, there are only so many nice days left to enjoy the company of others, so take it outside! Meet your friend for a walk, a picnic in the park, doggy date, or go to the market!

So look around over the next few days, count how many times food tries to invade your plan to be healthy. “How rude!” Don’t be persuaded by some plastic sign or societal pressures to add unnecessary food and calories to your diet. Stick to your commitment, and you’ll win the battle.

Cheers!

Laura

Laura Eilers

The Science Cheerleader – Darlene Cavalier

We found out what Alumni Cheerleaders member and former Philadelphia 76ers cheerleader, Darlene Cavalier, is doing and asked how cheerleading and dancing changed and influenced her life.

Darlene: Dancing every weekday after school provided me with a glimpse into “what could be“.  I spent a lot of time with my instructor who understood the challenges my single mom faced raising four kids in a low-income community. I wouldn’t change my life experiences one bit but I certainly recognized at an early age that I had two options: reach beyond my grasp and probably fail, or become a victim of my circumstances and settle for status quo.  My family supported my interest in dance (ballet, tap and jazz) and, along with my “new dad,” uncles and aunts sat through every one of my endless dance recitals.   At a young age, I was performing duets with my instructor (my mentor who would later die of breast cancer on her 40th birthday) and winning competitions and awards such as “Ms. Sunshine!”, despite the fact I was quiet and shy (still not convinced I was entitled to any of this).  Eventually, I gained more confidence in high school and went on to earn the distinction of “most talented” and something like “best personality”.  I never considered myself “pretty” but I did believe I could tackle the world, one move at a time.  I’ll spare you the long version.  In short, dancing, followed by cheerleading at Temple, back to dancing for the 76ers absolutely built my confidence, kept me in shape, got me into the hottest clubs 😉 and of course introduced me to nontraditional connections.  Wouldn’t be the Science Cheerleader without dance and cheerleading!

After a couple of exciting years in the 90’s sharing the spotlight with Sir Charles Barkley, Darlene retired the pom poms, as “serious” work was calling.  Darlene is the founder of ScienceCheerleader.com that promotes the citizens involvement in science and science-related policy.  In addition, she is developing a major multi-functional Web site called ScienceForCitizens.net.  The former 76ers Cheerleaders was always interested in science and holds a Masters degree from the University of Pennsylvania, where she studied the role of the citizen in science.  Darlene is a writer and senior advisor to Discover Magazine, on the Steering Committee for Science Debate and organizing an effort to restore the Congressional Office of Technology Assessment, with citizen involvement.  To add to her list of accomplishments, she has held executive positions at Walt Disney Publishing and worked at Discover Magazine for more than a decade.  She was the principal investigator of a $1.5 million National Science Foundation grant applied to promote basic research through partnerships with Disney and ABC  TV.  Currently, she and her husband live in Philadelphia with their four young children.

Check out Darlene’s site www.sciencecheerleader.com and get a brain makeover!!