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About Us

The Center for Parent and Teen Communication is based within the Division of Adolescent Medicine at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Our work is sponsored by the Hive at Spring Point, the John Templeton Foundation, the Koret Foundation, the Rayant-Fields Charitable Fund, and the Funders for Adolescent Science Translation (FAST), a consortium that includes the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Bezos Family Foundation, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, the Ford Foundation, the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, Pivotal Ventures, the Raikes Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the National Public Education Support Fund. We also provide consultation on NIH research project grants.

OUR MISSION

The Center for Parent and Teen Communication helps parents raise teens prepared to thrive. Adolescence is a time of opportunity and parents matter more than ever. We strive to ensure every caring adult has the knowledge and skills to promote positive youth development and foster strong family connections. Sign up for our newsletter to gain practical tips for parenting teens today!

OUR TEAM

Core Team

Ken Ginsburg, MD, MSEd

Co-Founder & Director

Dr. Ginsburg is a physician, adolescent medicine specialist, and Professor of Pediatrics at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. He is committed to preparing adults to be the kind of people that adolescents deserve in their lives. He supports local, regional, and national organizations in developing programs and policies that strengthen families and see young people through a strength-based lens. He speaks to parent, professional, and youth audiences nationally and internationally and is the author of 5 award-winning parenting books as well as a toolkit for youth-serving professionals. CPTC is rooted in his strength-based philosophy and resilience-building model.

Jacques Louis, MS

Director of Community & Strategic Partnerships

Jacques has nearly two decades of experience in positive youth development settings. His area of expertise is on developing agency in teens, restorative justice, and Rites of Passage curricula. He oversees outreach efforts and manages our project exploring parenting strategies in communities of color.

Eden Pontz

Executive Producer, Director of Digital Content

Eden oversees digital media content production. She also writes, copyedits, and produces articles, podcasts, and videos. An award-winning journalist, Eden brings years of experience as Executive Producer of news-gathering at CNN, as well as a field producing, writing, and reporting for CNN and other news organizations.

Andrew Pool, PhD, MSc

Director of Research, Translation, and Dissemination

Dr. Pool works at the intersection of CPTC’s research, translation, and dissemination efforts. He has a doctorate in Public Health from Temple University and more than 15 years of experience in social/behavioral research. He is passionate about helping people use science so they can have healthy, fulfilling lives.

Mission Partners

Anisha Abraham, MD

Dr. Abraham is a pediatrician, teen health expert, speaker, author, film co-producer, and consultant. Anisha is a popular global speaker and teen health media expert helping teens, parents, professionals and organizations navigate adolescence successfully. She is on faculty at Children’s National Hospital in Washington DC and has recently published the book Raising Global Teens: Parenting in the 21st Century. 

Joel Austin

Joel is the Founder, President & Chief Executive Officer for Daddy University Inc. and the Executive Director of The School of Parent Education. In this role he serves as a strong, undeniable force in propelling males and positive parenting to the forefront of the family and community agenda. 

Leticia Barr

Leticia is founder of the award-winning TechSavvyMama, a mom of teens, middle school teacher, and an education consultant. She combines her knowledge of child development, psychology, education, and tech to provide parenting advice for families.

Edith Bracho-Sanchez, MD

Dr. Bracho-Sanchez is a pediatrician at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. She has appeared on NBC, PBS, NPR, and a number of other news outlets to provide expert commentary.

Kristen Chase

Kristen is a former therapist and college professor, now writer, author, podcaster, and co-founder of CoolMomPicks.com, a popular online resource for parents. She is also the mom of 4 kids, 3 of which are teens. 

Phyllis Fagell, LCPC

Phyllis is a clinical professional counselor, certified professional school counselor, and journalist regularly contributing to The Washington Post and other media outlets, and author of Middle School Matters. She currently works full time as a school counselor.

Elayna Fernández

Elayna, known globally as the Positive MOM, is a bestselling author, internationally acclaimed storyteller, and award-winning mom entrepreneur. Her blog, books, and programs inspire millions of moms worldwide to break cycles, find peace, and feel whole. To learn more about Elayna, visit thePositiveMOM.com and follow her @thepositivemom.

Michelle Garrett

Michelle is a blogger, entrepreneur, wife, and proud mom to four – a tween, teen, and two college students. She writes, speaks, and advocates for mental health awareness, parenting older children, and empowering tween and teen girls to be their best selves.

Matt Schneider

Matt is the co-founder of City Dads Group and co-host of The Modern Dads Podcast. Matt works to break down the barriers standing in the way of men being the best dads they can be.

Hina Talib, MD

Dr. Talib is a board certified Pediatrician and Adolescent Medicine specialist, writer, and teen media creative. Dr. Talib is a teen health advocate at heart and leads a popular community on Instagram @teenhealthdoc.

Jennifer Wallace

Journalism Fellow

Jennifer is an award-winning journalist and regular contributor to The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and more. She is the author of Never Enough: How Toxic Achievement Culture Hurts Kids — And What To Do About it. Jennifer lives in New York City, where she and her husband are raising their three adolescent children. 

Consultants & Contributors

Melissa Ford

Consultant, Melissa Ford Strategy

Melissa is a writer, editor, content creator, storyteller, fundraiser, and social media manager. She authors our Parenting in 100 Words series and supports strategic marketing and social media efforts.

The FrameWorks Institute

Communications Consultant

The FrameWorks Institute is a nonprofit research organization that helps mission-driven organizations build public will for progressive change. They support our efforts to shape effective communications.

Allison Gilbert

Senior Writer

Allison is an Emmy award-winning journalist focusing on grief and resilience. She has authored numerous books and speaks across the country. Allison spearheads our Q&A series.

LaShieka Hunter

Writer

LaShieka is a health, parenting, and entertainment writer. Her work appears in The New York Times; O, The Oprah Magazine; Essence; Dr. Oz The Good Life; Men’s Health; & Ebony.

Christine Koh

Contributor

Christine spent a decade as a music and brain scientist before leaving academia for the Internet in 2006. She is an award-winning blogger, podcast host, and author.

Elyse Salek, MSEd

Contributor, Formerly CPTC Staff

Elyse was charged with administrative oversight of CPTC programs and grants. She also edited and wrote content on a range of topics. Her background is in Psychology and Human Development and she brought more than a decade of experience managing research projects at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

Taylor Tropea, MS

Contributor, Formerly CPTC Staff

Taylor provided communications support and strategy to CPTC, including the creation and management of social media, editorial, newsletter, creative, and website content.

Affiliated Faculty & Fellows

Aletha Akers, MD

Vice President for Research, The Guttmacher Institute

Dr. Akers work focuses on family communication, health disparities, and evaluation and implementation of interventions to improve  health outcomes for adolescents.

Jillian Baker, DrPH, EdM

Formerly CPTC Staff

Dr. Baker’s focus lies in designing, implementing, and translating community driven, evidence-based prevention programs for populations made vulnerable. She advocates for the important role fathers play in guiding young lives and also hosts a podcast that focuses on maternal health in Black families.

Daniela Brissett, MD

Attending Physician, University of Pittsburgh, Faculty Scholar, PolicyLab

Dr. Brissett researches the intersectionality of racism and sexism, particularly the adultification of Black girls and its implications for mental health outcomes. Her work aligns closely with her expertise in positive youth development.

Shelby Davies, MD

Attending Physician, CHOP, Faculty Scholar, PolicyLab

Dr. Davies focuses on the impact of period poverty and menstrual inequities on the health of adolescents and young adults. She also serves as medical director of the CHOP Connections Clinic at Covenant House of Pennsylvania.

Nathalie Duroseau, DO, MS

Attending Physician, CHOP, Practice-based Scholar, Center for Violence Prevention

Dr. Duroseau specializes in providing comprehensive care for youth aged 11 to 24. Her current research focuses on the creation and implementation of a curriculum to address racial microaggressions in the workplace.

Col (Ret) Eric Flake, MD

Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrician, Associate Professor, Uniform Services University

Dr. Flake works for the Henry Jackson Foundation and serves as the clinical director for a telehealth neurodiversity clinic at the Uniformed Services University. His research focuses on childhood resilience, autism, and the psychosocial effects of deployment on children.

Carol Ford, MD

CPTC Co-Founder, Attending Physician, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

Dr. Ford is an Adolescent Medicine subspecialist physician and adolescent health researcher with a long history of research and clinical work to improve adolescent health.

Victoria Miller, PhD

Director of Adolescent Medicine Research, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

Dr. Miller is a clinical child psychologist and behavioral health researcher, with expertise in psychosocial aspects of chronic illness, child and family decision making, and pediatric bioethics.

Joanna Lee Williams, PhD

Senior Director of Research, Search Institute

Dr. Williams studies race and ethnicity as social contexts for youth development. She supports CPTC to develop strengths-based, culturally responsive parenting content.

Javiera Monardez Popelka, MD, MPH

Outreach and Education Consultant, Aquí Para Ti Program, Hennepin Healthcare

Dr. Popelka’s expertise is in community outreach and community health promotion projects. She supports CPTC with Spanish language content translation efforts and direct community outreach and dissemination.

Maria Veronica Svetaz, MD, MPH

Physician and Director, Aquí Para Ti Program, Hennepin Healthcare

Dr. Svetaz’s research includes issues around parenting youth, educating practitioners to better work with minority youth, using CBPR, and achieving health equity. She supports CPTC with the translation of content to ensure it is culturally affirming for Latinx families.

Roy Wade, Jr., MD, PhD, MPH, MSHP

Attending Physician, CHOP, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, UPenn

Dr. Wade is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and a pediatrician at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. His research focuses on childhood protective factors, including family connections to overcome hardships.

Students

Our current and former students and interns support film and media production, website development, and research and social marketing efforts.

Advisors

We are fortunate to gain insight from leaders in the fields of medicine, positive youth development, character education, communications, and more. We maintain an active board of youth advisors from across the country.

Information & Resources

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