Matilda Cuomo

A dedicated advocate for women, children and families, Matilda Raffa Cuomo has led state, national and international initiatives that heightened visibility of such causes as children’s rights, volunteerism and mentoring. As First Lady of New York State (1983-1995), Mrs. Cuomo co-chaired the Governor’s Commission on Child Care and chaired the NY Citizens’ Task Force on the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect. Mrs. Cuomo also led New York’s role in the UN’s World Summit for Children and the USA’s ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. She established in 1984 the nation’s first school-based one-to-one mentoring program, connecting over 10,000 students to trained mentors, and helping them to succeed in school, graduate, advance in the workplace and become productive citizens. Under Mrs. Cuomo’s leadership, the program has continued as Mentoring USA; its reach has expanded internationally. Mrs. Cuomo published an edited volume in 1999, revised in 2011, entitled The Person Who Changed My Life: Prominent Americans Recall Their Mentors. She currently chairs the New York State Mentoring Program, recently reinstated by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mario_Cuomo