New Ambassadors Bring Powerful Personal Stories and Renewed Energy to MADD's Lifesaving Mission to End Impaired Driving
IRVING, Texas, July 18, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Mothers Against Drunk Driving® (MADD) is honored to welcome four remarkable individuals as MADD National Ambassadors: Steven Benvenisti, Esq., Tara Repka Flores, Erica Linn and Bob Nulman. These passionate advocates, each with a deeply personal connection to the tragedies of impaired driving, bring powerful voices and unwavering commitment to our cause. They join an esteemed group of current National Ambassadors, including Tammy Duffy, Sheila Lockwood, Prisca Osunsan, Darlene Peshlakai, Michelle Ramsey, Erin Rollins and Clara Shelton, to further amplify MADD's mission and drive transformative change.
"We are profoundly grateful to all of our National Ambassadors, whose steadfast dedication to ending impaired driving is truly inspirational," said MADD CEO Stacey D. Stewart. "Steven, Tara, Erica and Bob continue to share their powerful voices and experiences to advance MADD's mission, turning awareness into action and sparking lifesaving conversations in communities nationwide."
Meet MADD's New National Ambassadors:
Steven Benvenisti, Esq. Six weeks prior to Steven graduating from college, while on spring break in Daytona Beach, Florida, he was a pedestrian struck by a drunk driver's vehicle traveling over 50 mph. Steven's injuries were so serious that his family in Jersey was asked to consent to his organ donation. Steven remained in a coma for nearly two weeks, suffering from a severe traumatic brain injury, intracranial hemorrhaging, with his legs crushed below the knees. He remained hospitalized for almost half a year and underwent 15 surgeries. Miraculously, Steven achieved a full recovery from his injuries. Despite this harrowing experience, Steven transformed his personal tragedy into a lifelong mission of advocacy and justice for victims. Now an award-winning personal injury attorney in New Jersey, and partner at the Law Firm of Davis, Saperstein & Salomon, P.C., he has dedicated his career to representing victims and survivors of impaired and distracted driving. Steven is a longtime MADD supporter, having served on the National Board of Directors (2012–2018), including three years as vice chair. He has provided leadership and advocacy, as well as raised hundreds of thousands of dollars through his Walk Like MADD team and personal fundraising events, sharing the proceeds with MADD and the Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey (BIANJ). Steven regularly delivers motivational and keynote speeches internationally, and has been highlighted at numerous law enforcement recognition events nationwide. As the current chair of the MADD Advisory Board in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania, he has spearheaded lifesaving legislative efforts, including personally testifying before the legislature to advocate for stronger impaired driving laws.
Tara Repka Flores' life was forever changed on October 7, 2019, when her 13-year-old son, Alec Flores, was tragically hit and killed by a drunk driver while walking to school. The driver, a fellow parent at the same school, had her three children in the car at the time of the crash and fled the scene. Despite this devastating loss, Tara has channeled her grief into a powerful mission for change. Residing in California, Tara plays a vital role on MADD California's Legislative Action Team, where she works tirelessly to influence policy and legislation to prevent impaired driving. She is especially passionate about advancing the implementation of the HALT Drunk Driving Act, a groundbreaking law that requires passive impaired driving prevention technology in all new cars, to eradicate impaired driving. In honor of Alec, who was an avid athlete, wrestler and football player, Tara and her family created a nonprofit — the Alec Flores Youth Sports Scholarship Corporation — which hosts a fundraiser called the 10 Fun Run (originally started as on online challenge during COVID called the 10 For Alec Challenge) that provides scholarships to young athletes. Tara is proud to have supported over 450 young athletes in playing sports in Alec's memory and views this endeavor as spreading light and positivity in the community. Professionally, Tara serves as vice president of information technology at Zenith Insurance. She is also an accomplished public speaker, having honed her skills with Toastmasters, a prestigious public speaking nonprofit. In addition, Tara brings valuable political insight from her experience as a paid intern for Congressman Vic Fazio.
Erica Linn lost both her mother and father, Henrietta and Carmelo Sbezzi, in an impaired driving crash on October 28, 2016. This tragedy occurred on what should have been a joyous occasion, Erica's birthday. Following this immense loss, Erica has dedicated herself to a mission of advocacy, leaving her career in media sales and marketing to combat this 100% preventable crime. Residing in New York, Erica is a regional member of MADD's New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania Regional Advisory Board and has also served on the MADD New York State Advisory Board. In addition, she served on MADD's National Board, where she guided the organization's direction and played a key role in passing the HALT Drunk Driving Act. This landmark law mandates impaired driving prevention technology in all new cars. Alongside MADD's Government Affairs team and the MADD War Room, Erica mobilized crucial support for The HALT Act — sharing her personal story with influential legislators, including Representative Mike Lawler, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and Senator Ben Ray Luján. As part of MADD New York's Legislative Action team, Erica is dedicated to passing lifesaving legislation to address and ultimately end the public health and safety crisis of drunk and drugged driving. Erica is a passionate fundraiser, actively participating in events like Walk Like MADD and producing and performing two MADD benefit concerts in NYC to raise vital funds for MADD's mission. Erica's voice resonates deeply as she regularly shares her powerful story across the region through speaking engagements and media interviews.
Bob Nulman's 22-year-old son, Dan Nulman, was senselessly killed by a 20-year-old drunk and drugged driver on October 11, 1987. Dan, a senior at Trenton State College, was a passenger in a car with four friends when an impaired driver, traveling the wrong way on I-95 in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, collided with them head-on, killing all five boys and the impaired driver. In the wake of this heartbreaking tragedy, Bob transformed his grief into a relentless pursuit to fight against impaired driving. For more than 19 years, he has been a compassionate volunteer on the MADD National Victim Helpline, offering desperately needed support to other victims and survivors across the nation. His dedication as a Volunteer Victim Advocate has provided solace and strength to countless individuals navigating their losses. As a former mayor of Clinton, New Jersey (1986–1993), Bob utilized his leadership skills to lobby for stronger impaired driving laws both in New Jersey and at the federal level. His tireless activism has helped shape policies aimed at preventing future tragedies. Additionally, Bob has been an avid fundraiser for MADD, annually leading a Walk Like MADD team. As an ordained interfaith minister, Bob brings a unique and compassionate perspective to his advocacy, combining his spiritual guidance with his fervent dedication to eradicating impaired driving.
The MADD National Ambassador program amplifies diverse voices of victims and survivors of impaired driving from across the nation. By sharing their powerful personal stories, the National Ambassadors highlight the profoundly devastating and widespread impact of impaired driving, raising awareness of its far-reaching consequences. For more information about the MADD National Ambassador program, visit: madd.org/ambassadors.
Impaired driving is a worsening public health crisis. Since 2019, drunk driving fatalities have increased by 33%. Every 39 minutes, someone is killed in an alcohol-related crash. 2 out of 3 people will be impacted by drunk driving in their lifetime. A transformative solution is desperately needed to end drunk driving once and for all.
Passive impaired driving prevention technology, required in the federal HALT Act, offers a path forward. The HALT Act directs the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) to establish a federal regulation for this lifesaving technology by November 15, 2024. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the technology could save 10,000 lives annually when fully implemented. In the meantime, MADD's National Ambassadors are dedicated to creating a future free of this crime and continue to advocate for stronger impaired driving laws, support victims and survivors, and raise public awareness about the urgent need for action.
About Mothers Against Drunk Driving
Mothers Against Drunk Driving® (MADD) is the nonprofit leader in a movement to create a world where there are #NoMoreVictims of impaired driving. By working in collaboration with law enforcement to end underage drinking and all drunk and drugged driving, MADD has helped reduce drunk driving deaths by more than 50%, saving more than 400,000 lives. The organization is a vocal advocate for tougher sentencing, new laws and new technology, including implementation of the Halt Act. MADD also has provided supportive services to nearly one million victims of drunk and drugged driving at no charge through local victim advocates and its 24-Hour Victim Help Line 1-877-MADD-HELP. For more information or to make a donation, visit us at https://madd.org/ and follow MADD on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
Media Contact
Katie Alvino, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, 877.275.6233, [email protected], madd.org
SOURCE Mothers Against Drunk Driving
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