Work with thought leaders and academic experts from Vassar College

Dr. Stephanie Bosco-Ruggiero holds a PhD in Social Work from Fordham University, an M.A. in Urban Affairs and Public Policy from the Biden School of Public Policy and Administration at the University of Delaware, and a B.A. in Political Science from Vassar College. Dr. Bosco-Ruggiero has taught social policy at Fordham University GSSS, Adelphi University SSW, and Wurzweiler SSW at Yeshiva University. From 2007 to 2017 she worked with Fordham GSS faculty on federally funded grant projects including the National Center for Social Work Trauma Education and Workforce Development, and the National Child Welfare Workforce Institute. Previously, she worked in government and for Neighborhood Housing Services of New York City. Currently Dr. Bosco-Ruggiero has a freelance and consulting business focused on her main interests which include social policy, human trafficking, substance use disorders, child welfare, spirituality in social work, and child and adolescent mental health. Past and current clients include Mosaic Community Planning, 2M Research, American Academy of Pediatrics, Tuskegee University Department of Social Work, and Oregon Alliance for Gun Safety. Dr. Bosco-Ruggiero is the co-author/author of ten peer reviewed journal articles and a book, *Adopting older children: A practical guide to adopting and parenting children over age four*.

Dr. Gail M. Gottfried is a highly accomplished developmental psychologist with over 20 years of experience in the field. She holds a BA in English and Psychology from Vassar College and a PhD in Developmental Psychology from the University of Michigan–Ann Arbor. Throughout her career, she has held various teaching positions at prestigious colleges including Claremont McKenna College, Scripps College, Pitzer College, Pomona College, the University of Southern California, and the University of California at Los Angeles. In addition to her teaching experience, Dr. Gottfried has worked as a Psychology Subject Matter Expert at Cengage Learning and a Senior Development Editor at Pearson Education; she is currently a freelance editor for clients such as the American Psychological Association. Dr. Gottfried's expertise lies in the areas of cognitive and language development as well as in educational psychology; she has published numerous articles in reputable academic journals and has received several grants including two from the National Science Foundation. She is dedicated to using her knowledge and experience to positively affect the lives of children and families.

Adolescent development, parent-adolescent relationships, adolescent brain development, adolescent decision-making