Children are some of the most precious gifts we have in this world. They are innocent, inspiring, challenging, and honest, sometimes even to a fault. As a society, we have built our world around educating and raising them to be future leaders in science, education, sustainability, engineering, and more. Technology is something that has given us great gifts to help in this development as well as created some challenges.
The Digital Citizen Academy Foundation was created out of a passion for helping empower, educate, and reduce the harm that can happen through technology, not because of it. While our worlds become increasingly connected and dependent on technology, our mission and vision is to help support and educate our children as they are learning and using technology and ensure that we remember that they will also make mistakes.
We offer educational, easily accessible, virtual programs that lay out a roadmap for success in digital literacy as well as some restorative diversion programs for when the lines are crossed. Even more important are the therapeutic resources for teachers and families that are struggling with the consequences and impact technology may bring.
We are all moving into the same future without having all of the answers. Digital Citizen Academy Foundation is moving with you and for you, taking in the need to adapt as we travel into the future together.
We are proud of our passionate, thoughtful, and dedicated professionals who are driven to help students, families and teachers through digital literacy programs, restorative justice, diversion options and therapeutic resources to address psychological issues relating to technology.
Dr. Lisa Strohman, psychologist, attorney, author, and mother established Digital Citizen Academy Foundation to help keep families safe from online dangers. Her background working as a visiting scholar with the profiling unit at the FBI during one of the most tragic school shootings in the US helped create her passion to help proactively prevent and educate students, educators and parents on issues related to technology.
In her private practice she has spent more than a decade working with adolescents and families with issues related to anxiety, depression and technology and almost two decades working with schools to address challenges with student mental health and well-being.
Dr. Strohman holds a Bachelors in Psychology from the University of California, Davis, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude and later earned a PhD and J.D., completing a joint integrated program in Law and Psychology at Villanova and Drexel Universities. She is a national speaker at schools, parent organizations, businesses, churches and community groups where she addresses the challenges of raising responsible digital citizens and the realities of technology. She is also regularly featured in the media as a technology wellness and behavioral expert. She has been interviewed by national TV and radio news outlets and quoted in numerous print publications including Forbes Magazine, Fast Company, and Huffington Post.
E.J. has years of experience in strategic leadership, capitalizing on innovation and collaboration, dedicated to quality impact and results. He is currently the Vice President of Strategic Initiatives and Operations at Child Crisis Arizona.
E.J. is continually searching for creative solutions for creative opportunities and has a history of success with engaging, thought-provoking initiatives that build a positive impact for participants, community, and funders. E.J. is highly skilled in bringing together community partners including volunteers, board members and corporations toward a common good. He possesses a deep focus on building relationships with non-profit and for-profit entities as vehicles for progress toward a larger community mission and vision.
Justin Duran joined Child Crisis Arizona in 2016 as its Development Manager. He was promoted to Director of Development in 2019, and now oversees the organization’s annual fundraising campaign as well as the organization’s community relations, volunteer program, events and donor relations efforts with a staff of six.
Duran has been in the nonprofit sector for more than 20 years working, with youth-serving organizations in a variety of capacities throughout his career. Prior to joining Child Crisis Arizona, he spent more than 15 years with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale, where he started as a part-time janitor and worked his way up to a Branch Director.
Duran is a 2009 graduate of Northern Arizona University, with a bachelor’s degree in Recreation Management with a focus on Nonprofits and received the Certified Fund Raising Executive designation in 2019.
When he is not focused on work, Duran enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter and cheering on the Arizona’s sports team including the Phoenix Suns and the Arizona Cardinals.
Her project management experience includes directing projects pertaining to restoration; flood control and water storage; infrastructure; residential, commercial, and government buildings; and transportation. She is proficient in ESA and CESA compliance with considerable experience in Section 7 consultations.
Kristen Badgio holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication from Arizona State University, graduating in 2002. She worked from 2004 -2015 as a coordinator for Neiman Marcus where she was highly respected for her customer service, design skills and leadership.
She served for many years in the Desert Willow Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) and also stepped into a leadership position as Vice President for several years. She is a mother of two and lives in Cave Creek, Arizona.
The Digital Citizen Academy Home Program gives parents an opportunity to experience home-based interactive lessons with their child. The module lessons are grade specific, K-12, and include informative videos, activities, discussion questions, and online resources that make learning about digital safety and etiquette entertaining and fun.
The Digital Citizen Academy School Program is a research based, grade specific program designed to educate, empower, and inspire students to become responsible digital citizens.
Our program, developed and written by experienced teachers, is designed to work in accordance with individual grades, maturity, and experience allowing teachers to engage students’ current knowledge, restructure and remediate misconceptions, and empower students to have a voice in the digital world. Program results have proven that the Digital Citizen Academy School Program develops students’ abilities to make meaningful applications with their online choices and generalize learning to new problems and contexts.
Using a comprehensive and compassionate approach, the Online Diversion Program works to reduce the likelihood of future violations, as well as educate and encourage those who have violated school rules and/or statutory laws that they can make better choices in the future. The Online Diversion Program addresses technology related infractions including: Cyberbullying, Hacking, Inappropriate Posting, Digital Reputation, Technology Addiction, Gaming, Digital Cheating/Plagiarism, and Vaping.
Once a technology violation has been determined, individuals will be tasked with the specified Online Diversion Program Module for which they have been assigned. Similar to an online driving class or online learning course each individual will be required to complete the program and be issued a certificate upon successful completion. Referring schools, parents and/or agency officials will be issued an independent report that will notify them of successful completion of the program and a determination made whether or not consequences are deferred or reduced.
Digital Citizen Academy Kindergarten through Eighth Grade School and Home Programs are aligned to the following nationally recognized standards:
Every minute there are thousands of children that are negatively impacted by someone online. Whether it is a stranger or someone they know, it can hurt them socially, emotionally and psychologically for life.
We are working to provide programs, therapy and online training in digital literacy and social emotional resources for kids and their educational heroes that take care of them every day.
When you donate to Digital Citizen Academy Foundation, you are providing children, families and teachers direct programs and access to needed therapeutic resources. Our goal is to ensure that all of our children, educators, and families understand the how, why and what to do if anything impacts them negatively online..
Right now, if you donate $100, $150, $200 or more, you’ll receive our DCAF Ambassador kit as a token of our thanks and to show you our appreciation for joining our efforts to keep our kids, families and teachers supported in the digital world.
In-kind services that are needed for our foundation to run are professional services donated by groups such as corporations, small businesses, vendors, colleges, individual professionals or tradespeople. Currently, our organization would benefit from publishing support, marketing campaigns, film and editing services, etc.
Any in-kind donation that involves donating time free of charge or through payment by a third party on the nonprofit’s behalf is welcome. This may happen individually or through a corporate program where an employer might loan paid employees to help support our nonprofit.
Volunteers who prefer to stay behind the scenes can donate their specialized skills and talents to help keep the organization running smoothly. Our foundation runs on a limited staff and budget and always needs extra help. Consider offering to do accounting tasks, write articles for newsletters, donate therapeutic services, or whatever your specialized skill may offer.
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The Digital Citizenship Academy Foundation (DCAF) provides Teachers and Students with Digital Literacy Programs and Therapeutic Resources. DCAF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization. Our federal tax ID number: 83-1121743.