Juvenile Law Center Announces New Board Members

Katy Otto,

Philadelphia, PA (December 20, 2023) – Today Juvenile Law Center welcomes two new board members – Sarlene Mingo, MSW and Hillary Transue. Read the biography of Ms. Mingo here and Ms. Transue here.

 

"I am honored to join Juvenile Law Center’s Board of Directors to support the mission and to advocate for fairness and equity in systems that unjustly affect the constitutional rights of juveniles in the United States," said Ms. Mingo.

 

Ms. Transue first connected with Juvenile Law Center as the whistleblower in the infamous kids for cash scandal, which garnered international attention.

 

“Joining Juvenile Law Center’s board is an emotional experience; it is a testament to the power of advocacy and compassion and what those things can do for a child, the aspirations that can be instilled, and the kind of loyalty that can be built,” said Ms. Transue. “It is truly my full-circle moment where I get to become one of the good guys.”

 

The organization’s CEO celebrated the appointments.

 

“We have been working with Hillary since she was a teenager and a plaintiff in the kids for cash case,” said Sue Mangold, CEO of Juvenile Law Center. “She is an effective spokesperson about the harms of the juvenile legal system and in support of our work. We are excited to have her serve in this new role with us as a board member. Sarlene’s work with teens and their parents at Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church brings important expertise to our board. We have an incredible Board of Directors and both Hillary and Sarlene add new critical perspectives.”

About the Expert

Katy Otto joined Juvenile Law Center in 2016. With a background in communications, development and government relations, she is responsible for the organization’s overall messaging strategy and implementation. She is passionate about youth justice, and committed to ensuring that the public learns about the challenges facing youth in the child welfare and justice systems.

Sarlene Mingo is a native of Philadelphia, PA, where she continues to reside. She is the Director of the Parenting Support and Teen Enrichment Program (PSTEP) at Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church. She leads the program development of PSTEP whose mission is to provide parents and caregivers with support, practice, and tools that will enhance their ability to raise young people with strong character values in a trusted space that allows families to engage in authentic conversations and activities by emphasizing a strength-based approach to parenting.

With over 40 years of experience, Sarlene has

Hillary Transue’s experience with the juvenile justice system was the catalyst for exposing the infamous “Kids for Cash” scandal in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. Through Juvenile Law Center’s efforts, Hillary was released early from her sentence and the nation’s biggest juvenile justice scandal was exposed. Since then, Hillary’s loyalty to Juvenile Law Center and unique position in the public eye has allowed her to spread their mission and advocate for better treatment of kids.

More recently, Hillary has advocated for HB1381, a bill that will make necessary reforms to Pennsylvania’s juvenile