Ira Sachnoff, President

Ira Sachnoff has been recognized as one of the founding fathers of the Peer Helping Movement, which he has been involved with over the last 30 years. Ira began his involvement with Peer Helping as a high school student, in the early 70’s, when as he was chosen to be trained as a Peer Helper. It was here in his role as a Peer Helper/Counselor that Ira’s true understanding and commitment to Peer Helping began. In 1980 Ira began his own Peer Resource Center at Galileo High School in San Francisco, where he was the Director for 4 years. In this capacity Ira had the opportunity to train hundreds of Peer Helpers who would then provide services to thousands of youth.

In 1984, Ira along with a few other leaders from around the country started the National Peer Helpers Association, where he served as the Founding President for three years. Also in 1984, Ira became the first Director of the San Francisco Peer Resource Programs, a position that he held until 1996. In this capacity Ira was responsible for the supervision and training of 25 Peer Resource Program Coordinators who trained over 1,000 youth who then served over 20, 000 youth in The San Francisco Unified School District every year. This program just recently celebrated its 25th year anniversary, and still going strong today!

Ira was also a Board Member of the California Association of Peer Programs for over 10 years.

Currently Ira is a Peer Resource Trainer and Anti-Tobacco Consultant for the Alameda County Office of Education, San Francisco Unified School District, Contra Costa County Office of Education, San Mateo County Office of Education, Oakland Unified School District and Fremont Unified School District. In the last five years Ira has trained over 2,000 tobacco youth peer educators and over 500 adults in the art of setting up Comprehensive Tobacco Prevention and Cessation programs for youth. Ira also continues to train adults in the art of how to set up and improve Peer Resource /Helping Programs.

Ira is also the very proud father of two teenagers, who were both Peer Helpers in the San Francisco Peer Resource Programs.

(For more information on Ira Sachnoff you can go to review an article written about Ira Sachnoff in the Peer Facilitator Quarterly called Profiles of Pioneers.)