For Immediate Release

MAHA announces appointment of new executive director

January 9th, 2003

Marylanders Against Handgun Abuse (MAHA), which has worked since 1986 to reduce gun violence in the state and promote sensible gun safety laws, is pleased to announce the appointment, on January 1st, of Ms Leah Barrett to the position of Executive Director. She succeeds Ms. Ginni Wolf who has served as MAHA’s Executive Director for the past five years.

Ms Barrett has been active in gun violence prevention since moving to Maryland in 1999. She was most recently the Vice President of the Montgomery County Chapter of the Million Mom March, a grass-roots organization. Prior to this, she lived for 14 years in London in the UK where she was Corporate Communications and Environmental Affairs Director for Tetra Pak, a large Swedish-owned packaging company. She has also held positions with The Economist and with Data Resources, Inc. Ms Barrett holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Carleton College and a Masters in International Affairs and Russian from Columbia University.

In 1997, Ms Barrett lost her older brother, Greg, to a senseless act of gun violence. “When I returned to the United States two years after my brother’s murder, I was determined to work to reduce the shocking levels of death inflicted on more than 30,000 Americans each year from guns. We lead the industrialized world in gun violence, a distinction of which we should not be proud. I look forward to helping to make Maryland a national model for gun violence prevention.”

Matt Fenton, President of MAHA, said, “We are excited to have Leah on board. She will make a tremendous contribution to Maryland’s efforts to reduce the senseless death and injury from gun violence that still claims 650 Maryland lives per year. With Leah’s leadership, we can continue our work with concerned citizens to increase the awareness of gun violence in our communities. She will help MAHA develop the progressive and life-saving gun safety policies that have made Maryland a leader in gun violence awareness and prevention.”