Regina Marscheider
REGINA MARSCHEIDER
Child Advocate, Author, Speaker, Producer, Director of Stop Abuse, Inc., Owner of Spectrum Puppets, Master Puppeteer
Biography
As Director of Spectrum Puppets, Regina has been producing, directing, and designing world-class puppets for 40 years with a performance history that includes appearances on The Today Show and The Tonight Show. A Master Puppeteer, she spreads smiles and joy through a myriad of entertainment venues from small puppet shows and festivals, fundraisers and full scale musical extravaganzas and grand events.
On a more serious note, Regina’s passion lies with children who are sexually exploited. In 1984 Regina started Stop Abuse, a tax-exempt organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for children. Her troupe tours elementary schools and youth centers throughout the United States and Canada with her Emmy award winning child abuse prevention program, “Simon Says…Just Tell”, a musical marionette show that teaches young children how to recognize, avoid and disclose sexual abuse. “Simon”, the main character in the show has become a global symbol for children’s rights. Having performed for more than 1 million children nationwide, Regina has already empowered a huge segment of our society to help stop the cycle of sexual abuse. Just in Hampton Roads, VA, this program resulted in the arrests, successful prosecution and incarceration of more than 200 child molesters. Thousands of criminal charges as well as thousands of cases of prevention have been directly attributed to her program as well.
Her book, ‘Simon Says Play It Safe’ is a full color children’s book that gives parents the language to talk to their kids about safety and sensitive issues. She is currently working on her 2 next books, ‘Simon Says Be Mentally Fit’, about mental health issues; giving children solutions to bullying, self-esteem and feeling sad. ‘Simon Says Be Cyber Safe’ is also in the works teaching parents and children how to safety navigate the internet.
Regina, herself a survivor of child sexual abuse, was born in Berlin, Germany, the youngest of six children and grew up in New York. She lives in Virginia Beach with her husband, four children and eight grandchildren. Regina’s studio on First Colonial Road in Virginia Beach, VA is where hundreds of puppets live, where new puppets are created, where children come for workshops to learn how to make and perform with puppets and to experience a safe and healing place.
This is My Body
DJ Dozier, Board Member
Simon, Screen Test
Silent Thrivers by M E Hart
