“Children deserve both parents.” It will not remain just a simple phrase. It will serve as an invitation to shared and present parenting, and the central axis of the conference that will take place in Peekskill on April 19. That Sunday, the city will host the first Shared Parenting Conference in New York. The gathering will mark a point of convergence for actors who—across different fronts—question how the family system responds to the separation of couples with children.
The day, which will last approximately three hours, will begin at 12 p.m. Families, attorneys, mental health professionals, public policy advocates, and organizations connected to family law will gather. The conference, to be held at Abbey Inn Ballroom at 900 Fort Hill Rd., will not function as an academic forum. It will be framed as a practical conversation about decisions that affect the daily lives of thousands of children after divorce or separation. The proposal centers on shared parenting as a preferred model when both parents are fit.
The conference is driven by the National Parents Organization, a nonprofit entity that promotes reforms in custody and parental access laws. The event also benefits from the leadership of André Rainey, former Peekskill mayor and current chair of the organization’s New York chapter.
Additional speakers will bring perspectives from different areas of the debate. Among them is Rep. Jamie Flick, a legislator involved in discussions on custody reform; Robert Garza, focused on advocating parental equality and fathers’ rights within custody processes; Summer Johnson, who will contribute a perspective grounded in public policy analysis and organizational leadership, helping translate the debate into strategic approaches; and Jason Houck, vice chair of the National Parents Organization’s New York chapter, who will speak from the standpoint of institutional coordination within the movement.
In addition, Mark Ludwig will participate as an advocate for shared parenting, emphasizing the importance of maintaining active bonds between parents and children; Anthony Gay, focused on curriculum development and education; and Don Hubin will contribute insights from academic research on the effects of different custody models.
One of the featured guests will be Stephen Boyd, representing the Gabriella Boyd Memorial Foundation, an organization created in memory of his daughter and dedicated to initiatives related to child well-being and the strengthening of healthy family bonds. The foundation promotes the active and meaningful presence of both parents in children’s lives, shared parenting, and reform of the family system.
The conference will include presentations, family testimonies, and spaces designed to translate discussion into concrete proposals. The structure aims to combine personal stories with public policy analysis. That blend seeks to provide context for figures that, in this field, are often central to the argument. For example, according to the National Parents Organization, approximately 22 million children in the United States live separated from one of their parents following divorce or separation.
The Shared Parenting Conference is a free event, but prior registration is required through the provided link. For more information, contact 702-466-7437.
