Former National Children's Alliance Director Tapped to Lead Georgia Center for Child Advocacy

The Georgia Center for Child Advocacy announced today the appointment of Nancy Chandler as its new Executive Director.

The Georgia Center for Child Advocacy, established in the fall of 2007 with the merger of the Fulton County Child Advocacy Center and The Georgia Center for Children, is a private, non-profit agency that facilitates the healing for children and families that have experienced child sexual abuse.

“Nancy has been a child advocate for more than 20 years, and we are honored to have her join us in the fight against child sexual predators in Georgia,” said Bernard Porché, board chairman of The Georgia Center for Child Advocacy.

Chandler comes to the Georgia Center for Child Advocacy after having spent thirteen years as Executive Director of the National Children’s Alliance in Washington, D.C. She obtained her master’s degree in social work from the University of Georgia and decided early in her career to focus on helping children and adult survivors of sexual abuse.

"It is an honor to lead such an outstanding effort for the children of Atlanta, and I am proud to be a part of the future of the Georgia Center for Child Advocacy," said Chandler.

Prior to her work at the National Children's Alliance, Chandler was the executive director of the Memphis Child Advocacy Center and was a social worker in the Memphis City Schools Mental Health Center. She is a founding Board member and has served as president of the National Network of Children’s Advocacy Centers and is on the National Advisory Board for Darkness to Light a national program aimed at educating adults about preventing child sexual abuse. She was named Social Worker of the Year for the Tennessee Chapter in 1994.

“Nancy has been a strong voice for children for the past 14 years. Her vision and leadership will result in continued improvements in intervention for sexually abused children and prevention of child sexual abuse,” said LaVann Landrum, interim executive director for The Georgia Center for Child Advocacy. “Not only has Nancy been a leader and spokesperson for child advocacy centers, but her strong commitment to preventing child sexual abuse mirrors the Center’s vision of training 1 million Georgia adults to prevent abuse."

This year, the Georgia Center for Child Advocacy will celebrate twenty years as a non-profit agency. The Center, which was originally founded as the Georgia Center for Children in DeKalb County in 1987, has offered assistance and healing for more than 9,200 children and their families.