International Bullying Prevention Association Conference to Feature Cyberbullying, Technology and Other Issues Related to Bullying

Seattle, WA, April 23, 2010 --(PR.com)-- Conference Set for Seattle, WA November 15-17, 2010

The International Bullying Prevention Association (IBPA) announces that its 7th Annual Conference will be held in Seattle, Washington, on November 15 – 17, 2010. This year’s conference theme is Challenge And Promise Of The Cyberworld: Bullying Prevention in the Age of the Internet. The conference will be held at the Washington State Convention Center in downtown Seattle and will feature experts in cyberbullying, cyberthreats and youth risk online, as well as speakers in more traditional bullying prevention areas.

The Seattle Conference is made possible by a sponsorship from the Microsoft Corporation.

“Microsoft is proud to be a sponsor of the International Bullying Prevention Association Conference to raise awareness and share research about effective methods to help prevent cyberbullying,” said Jacqueline Beauchere, Director, Trustworthy Computing at Microsoft. “Microsoft is committed to making online safety a priority across our company, by building helpful tools into our products, offering guidance to customers, and partnering with important organizations like IBPA.”

While the IBPA has included workshops and presentations on cyberbullying in past conferences, this is the first time the conference theme has been devoted to this new and growing area of bullying activity. “We are aware of the growing interest in cyberbullying by educators and non-educators alike,” said Nathan Kleefisch, President of the IBPA. “This is our opportunity to bring together experts from various disciplines, perspectives and countries to present the most current and useful information on how to address bullying in the age of the Internet.”

This is the first time the IBPA Annual Conference has been located on the West Coast. Previous conferences have taken place in the southeast and Midwest, most recently in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The IBPA Board of Directors believes that the location, theme, and support of the Microsoft Corporation will set new attendance records for the Association, which has seen a substantial increase in its membership over the last two years.

The Seattle Conference is believed to be the first attempt at bringing together various experts in the field who have addressed cyberbullying and related issues, primarily youth risk online and methods for promoting positive online behavior. Presenters and attendees will include professional educators, school counselors, parents, students, researchers, health professionals, authors, law enforcement personnel and school safety professionals.

Registration information will be posted on the IBPA website in May. (http://www.stopbullyingworld.org) Proposals for workshop presentations are currently being solicited and the roster of speakers will be finalized and announced in May.

The International Bullying Prevention Association is a non-profit corporation that includes bullying prevention experts from throughout the United States and other nations. It includes educators, researchers, authors, school board members, attorneys, law enforcement personnel, school safety officials, parents, students and others concerned about the impact of bullying in schools and at the workplace.

###