Martha E. Edwards, PhD

Martha E. Edwards, Ph.D., is the Founder and Director of the Institute’s Center for the Developing Child & Family. Her expertise focuses on child development in the context of the family, school, and culture; the determinants, outcomes, and processes of parenting; and the integration of body, mind, spirit. She developed a longitudinal prevention program, Bright Beginnings, for infants, toddlers and their families designed to promote infant mental health, school readiness, and the ongoing relational development of children and parents. Bright Beginnings has been implemented in New York City public schools, in community-based organizations, in Early Head Start and Even Start, and with NYC’s Administration for Children’s Services. Dr. Edwards is active in professional organizations, as Vice President and board member of the American Family Therapy Academy, Board member of the Zero to Three New York Network, and advisory editor for Family Process. medwards@ackerman.org

Judy Grossman, DrPH, OTR

Judy Grossman, DrPH, OTR, is the Associate Director of the Center for the Developing Child and Family and Director of the Resilient Families: Children with Special Needs Project. She is also an occupational therapy and public health educator and consultant to community agencies. Dr. Grossman is currently adjunct faculty at NYU; previous academic appointments include Chairperson at SUNY-Downstate Medical Center, Associate Research Scientist at Yale School of Medicine and adjunct faculty at Columbia University and Sacred Heart University. She has conducted early intervention and special education policy studies for the NYS Department of Education as well as municipalities and school systems in NYC, Westchester County, NY and Fairfield County, CT.

Dr. Grossman developed the Personal Best prevention program for families with young children based on her clinical experience and research studies with clinic and at-risk populations. She also conducts parent discussion groups with families who have children with special needs. She has published and presented in the areas of family resilience, parenting, mental health consultation and best practices in early intervention and special education. Dr. Grossman maintains a private practice in family therapy in New York City. jgrossman@ackerman.org