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ABOUT DUCHYDuchy Trachtenberg is the President of Maryland NOW (2003 to present) and serves as the Mid-Atlantic Regional Director for NOW’s National Board (2004 to present). Under Duchy’s leadership, MDNOW has enjoyed an increase in public visibility (monthly media attention including live television and radio debates and interviews); has increased membership state-wide by 19%; and achieved a major legislative milestone two year’s back in Annapolis with the passage of the Living Wage Bill which had been identified as MDNOW’s top legislative priority. In 2005, Duchy helped develop a state-wide Court Watch program which has earned recognition in the domestic violence advocacy community. Additionally, outreach to young feminists has been a priority within MDNOW, as Duchy helped form the Maryland Young Feminist Task Force and two members, Allendra Letsome and Scarlett Swerdlow, have sat on National NOW’s Young Feminist Task Force. At the 2004 Annual NOW Conference, Duchy was elected National Chair of the NOW State President’s Caucus and this past January, helped coordinate a very successful President’s Caucus in Washington, DC. Duchy has been an effective grassroots activist for over twenty years on women’s equality, mental health concerns and public health issues. She offers a strong track record of successful community networking and believes building coalitions is an effective tool in bringing about political reform. Her dynamic leadership style reflects her genuine commitment to full equality for all women and she has sat for six years as a Progressive MD board member. Duchy is the past co-chair (founding) of the Women’s Leadership Network of the Maryland Democratic Party. She also served as a Women’s Issues Advisor for the Dean Presidential Campaign in 2003-2004.
Duchy has a 23-yr old daughter, Scarlett (a Walter Johnson and UC Berkeley graduate), who until recently was the Executive Director of Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP). Duchy’s son Walter, who suffers from schizophrenia, is hospitalized in New York. Duchy and her husband Alan, a public health physician who is the Research Director of the Indian Health Service, live in North Bethesda, MD.
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Fighting for expanded mental heath treatment funding and more facilities as a past Vice-Chair of the Montgomery County Council Mental Health Advisory Committee and member of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI)
Duchy holds a Masters Degree in Social Work and had maintained a private practice in adolescent addiction. She currently sits on Governing Council and is the past Chair of the Alternative Medicine Section within the American Public Health Association (APHA). Duchy has made many contributions to the mental health community, having served on various school board and county committees.