Monday, Dec 8, 2025
7-8:30pm
Behind the Screen:
Protecting Kids in Today’s Digital World
FLYER
Laura Forbes, ADA
Bureau Chief & Internet Safety Coordinator
Westchester County District Attorney's
Office
Join Westchester County Assistant District Attorney Laura A. Forbes, Bureau Chief and Internet Safety Coordinator, for an engaging and practical session on helping kids make safer choices online. Learn how to guide your children in avoiding unintentional trouble, strengthen your family’s device security, and understand the real online risks facing youth in our community, including sexual extortion, harassment, and digital forgery. K2P will host an interactive Q&A to support parents in navigating today’s complex digital world. December 8, 2025 at 7:00 PM. Leave empowered with clear, current knowledge and actionable strategies to help protect your children online every day.
Laura A. Forbes serves as the Bureau Chief of the newly created Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) Bureau in the Office of the Westchester County District Attorney. In this role, she oversees the investigation and prosecution of computer and Internet-based crimes, including internet crimes against children, online threats, sextortion, computer hacking, and electronic eavesdropping.
As the Office’s Internet Safety Coordinator, Forbes is also deeply committed to community education. She frequently lectures to students, parents, and civic groups on topics related to digital safety and responsible technology use. Prior to her current position, Ms. Forbes led the Cyber Crimes Bureau and has served in several specialized units, including the Auto Crimes Unit and the Economic Crimes Bureau, where she investigated and prosecuted cases involving identity theft, insurance fraud, financial elder abuse, and corporate embezzlement.
Laura Forbes holds a B.S. in Business from Marymount College, Tarrytown, and a J.D. from Pace University School of Law, where she also served as an editor for the Pace Law Review.
Wednesday, April 9, 2025
7-8:30pm
Empowering Families:
Navigating Co-Occurring Disorders
for a Resilient Future
TIP JAR
Video
Recording
Stephanie
Marquesano
Stephanie Marquesano, a Westchester County resident, founded the harris project after her 19-year-old son, Harris, died of an accidental overdose in 2013. Like millions, Harris had co-occurring disorders (COD)—the combination of mental health challenges and substance use issues. Since then, Stephanie has been a driving force at the county, state, and national levels, transforming awareness into action. She spearheaded Westchester County’s groundbreaking co-occurring system of care efforts and played a pivotal role in launching the Encompass program and availability of wraparound supports for youth and their families; improving COD identification and treatment. Her efforts are setting a new standard for integrated care in New York State and beyond.
This presentation will highlight the power of prevention and early identification, exploring the three pathways to COD, along with risk and protective factors. Participants will also gain insights on recognizing early signs and being proactive in getting support. Stephanie will be joined by Lorena Rucaj, LMHC and Westchester County Encompass Coordinator, to discuss Encompass—an innovative co-occurring treatment opportunity available in school and community settings—and how to connect young people and their adult supports to critical resources.
Lorena Rucaj
LMHC