Joneen Mackenzie graduated from the University of Texas, School of Nursing. She is a former 1st Lt. in the USAF Nurse Corp and is a credentialed and certified prevention specialist. Currently she is the president / founder of the Center for Relationship Education which houses the ACF poverty prevention initiative entitled, the Colorado Healthy Marriage Project as well as the Title V State grant that is being managed by the Colorado Department of Education. Ms. Mackenzie is the lead author of the nationally recognized REAL (Relationship Education and Leadership) Essentials school and community relationship and life skills curriculum. Joneen is a national speaker and trainer and works in the public policy arena with poverty prevention grants. She is a consultant for teen pregnancy prevention and positive youth development across the country and assisted in the formation of Colorado Comprehensive Health Education Model Content Standards. Joneen is the author of a weekly column in a Denver newspaper that outlines essentials in relationship issues. She also serves on the boards of ASCEND, Elevating the conversation regarding adolescent health, the Medical Institute (MI) and the National Association for Relationship and Marriage Education (NARME).