Wendy J. Hamilton
Encyclopedia
Wendy J. Hamilton was national president of the United States pressure group Mothers Against Drunk Driving
(MADD) from July 1, 2002 to June 30, 2005. After experiencing three tragedies in her family involving drunk drivers, she became active in MADD in 1984. In 1995, she joined MADD's National Board of Directors
, where she became vice-president.
Ms. Hamilton was active in expanding membership, raising the organization's annual income to over $50 million, promoting the "Get MADD all Over Again" campaign to increase MADD's visibility, and promoting DWI/DUI legislation.
As MADD's president, she appeared on ABC's
Good Morning America
, CNN, MSNBC
and NBC's Today Show. Her perceived leadership success led Feminine Fortunes magazine to name her America's Most Successful Women in 2003.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving
Mothers Against Drunk Driving is a non-profit organization in the United States that seeks to stop drunk driving, support those affected by drunk driving, prevent underage drinking, and overall push for stricter alcohol policy...
(MADD) from July 1, 2002 to June 30, 2005. After experiencing three tragedies in her family involving drunk drivers, she became active in MADD in 1984. In 1995, she joined MADD's National Board of Directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
, where she became vice-president.
Ms. Hamilton was active in expanding membership, raising the organization's annual income to over $50 million, promoting the "Get MADD all Over Again" campaign to increase MADD's visibility, and promoting DWI/DUI legislation.
As MADD's president, she appeared on ABC's
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
Good Morning America
Good Morning America
Good Morning America is an American morning news and talk show that is broadcast on the ABC television network; it debuted on November 3, 1975. The weekday program airs for two hours; a third hour aired between 2007 and 2008 exclusively on ABC News Now...
, CNN, MSNBC
MSNBC
MSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
and NBC's Today Show. Her perceived leadership success led Feminine Fortunes magazine to name her America's Most Successful Women in 2003.
MADD presidents
- Candy LightnerCandy LightnerCandace Lynne "Candy" Lightner is the organizer and founding president of Mothers Against Drunk Driving . On May 3, 1980, Lightner’s 13-year-old daughter, Cari, was killed by a hit-and-run driver at Sunset and New York Avenues in Fair Oaks, California.The leniency of the sentence given to the...
1980–1985 - Norma Phillips ThorworthNorma Phillips ThorworthNorma Phillips Thorworth was the second national president of Mothers Against Drunk Driving . She became involved with the organization soon after her son, Dean, and his girlfriend, Tish Crothswaite, were killed by a drunk driver on Thanksgiving Day 1981 in San Diego, California.- MADD presidents...
1985–1988 - Micky Sadoff 1988–1991
- Milo KirkMilo KirkMilo Kirk was the fourth president of Mothers Against Drunk Driving , serving 1991-1993. Ms. Kirk's young son suffered several severe injuries, including loss of sight in one eye, after a teenage driver with three prior DUI convictions hit the Kirk vehicle...
1991–1993 - Rebecca Brown 1993–1995
- Katherine PrescottKatherine PrescottKatherine Prescott was the sixth president of Mothers Against Drunk Driving , serving 1995-1997. Ms. Prescott's 16-year-old son was killed by a driver with a blood alcohol concentration of .17 percent, which is over twice the current maximum level. The tragedy led Ms...
1995–1997 - Karolyn NunnalleeKarolyn NunnalleeKarolyn Nunnallee was the seventh president of Mothers Against Drunk Driving , serving 1998-1999. Ms. Nunnallee's ten-year-old daughter, Patty Nunnallee, was killed in the Carrollton bus disaster in 1988...
1998–1999 - Millie I. WebbMillie I. WebbMillie I. Webb was national president of Mothers Against Drunk Driving , during which time she was especially active in promoting federal legislation pressuring states to lower their maximum legal blood alcohol concentration for operating motor vehicles to .08.In 1991, Ms. Webb was elected to...
2000–2002 - Wendy J. Hamilton 2002–2005
- Glynn BirchGlynn BirchGlynn Birch was the 10th president of Mothers Against Drunk Driving . He was appointed to the Board of Directors in 2000, after having served as president of the MADD Central Florida chapter....
July 2005–June 2008