About NAPP

About NAPP

Formerly the NATIONAL PEER HELPERS ASSOCIATION

Vision: Establishing a culture of people helping people. (Adopted October 2001)

Mission: The National Association of Peer Programs helps adults establish, train supervise, maintain and evaluate peer programs. (Adopted March 2006)

Originally founded in 1984 as the National Peer Helpers Association, the National Association of Peer Programs (NAPP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation whose mission is to help adults establish, train supervise, maintain and evaluate peer programs. Using the NAPP Standards and Ethics as a guiding principle, NAPP helps adults through networking, leadership training, certification and programmatic problem solving.

NAPP is dedicated to promoting excellence in peer programs. Its membership is adult professionals who are responsible for peer programs. Since peer programs currently exist in schools, social service agencies, faith communities, geographic communities, nursing homes and youth organizations, the NAPP membership is composed of representative from many populations. The largest representation of NAPP members is from the K-12 school and higher education population.

Peer programs simply involve people helping other people. When people experience frustrations, worries, concerns, and other life events, they typically turn to their friends, not professionals, for help, advice, practical assistance, and support. The peer programs that the National Association of Peer Programs support have various names such as peer helping, peer counseling, peer ministry, peer education, peer leadership, peer health education, peer mediation, peer tutoring, peer mentoring and others. Peers do not replace licensed or certified professionals or practitioners, but often serve as an extension of the services these professionals provide. Through much research and evaluation, peer programs have been found to be one of the most proven and effective prevention strategies.

With members throughout the world, NAPP has become the pre-eminent international support organization for peer helping professionals. It offers an annual conference, training opportunities, professional development, a newsletter, a peer helping listserv and its professional journal, the Perspectives in Peer Programs, formerly the Peer Facilitator Quarterly. The National Association of Peer Programs has connections to 37 state organizations/points of contact and 14 international affiliates.

DOCUMENTS ABOUT NAPP, formerly NPHA
Frequently Asked Questions
Profiles of NAPP Pioneers
NAPP Annual Awards
Election for Board of Directors
NAPP (NPHA) Resolutions
National Peer Programs Day

2007 Board of Directors

Corinne Pridham, President
Retired, School Psychologist, Special Education Department Chair, Peer Leader Program Director, Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School, MA
Providence, RI

Cheryl Ward, Vice President
Retired, Director of Youth Services, CONTACT-Syracuse
Liverpool, NY

Thom Hughart, Treasurer
Guidance Director, Wellesley, High School
Wellesley, MA

Donna Brinton, Secretary
Peer Program Advocate and Consultant
Redwood City, CA

Darlene Colmar, Member-at-Large
Retired, Teacher and Guidance Counselor, Glenbrook South High School, IL
Trainer/Consultant
Asheville, NC

Barbara Varenhorst, PhD., Past President
Retired, Stanford University
Consultant
Portola Valley, CA

Peggy Holecek
Teacher, Glenbrook North High School
Evanston, IL

James Lacivita, Jr.
Retired, Assistant Superintendent, Glenbrook School District
Glenview, IL

Linda Parker
WBHS Sp. Ed. Coordinator, West Boylston MS/HS
Fitchburg, MA

Judy Tindall, PhD
President, Psychological Network, Inc.
St. Charles, MO

Laurie Jo Wallace
Director of Training and Capacity Building, Medical Foundation in Boston
Boston, MA

PAST PRESIDENTS, Home City and State, (TERM IN OFFICE)

Ira Sachnoff, President Emeritus, San Francisco, CA, (July 1987-June 1989)

Dr. Barbara Varenhorst, President Emeritus, Portola Valley, CA, (July 1989-June 1991)

Dr. Elizabeth Foster, President Emeritus, Bryan, TX, (July 1991-June 1994)

Dr. Judith Tindall, President Emeritus, St. Charles, MO, (July 1994-June 1996)

Patrick Mitchell, Bonita, CA, (July 1996-June 1998)

Jo Lynn Avett-Wood, President Emeritus, Vienna, VA, (July 1998-June 2000)

Dr. David (Randy) Black, President Emeritus, West Lafayette, IN, (July 2000-June 2002)

Anne Hartline, Birmingham, AL, (July 2002-June 2004)

Corinne Pridham, Providence, RI, (July 2004-December 2008)