ZERO TO THREE, the nation’s leading early childhood development nonprofit dedicated to ensuring all babies and toddlers have a strong start in life, is proud to announce the recipients of its Lifetime Achievement Award, Dr. Dolores Norton and Dr. Joy Osofsky. The annual award recognizes individuals who have made substantive contributions to improving the lives of infants, toddlers, and their families; this year ZERO TO THREE is recognizing two of the most prominent academics in the sector and longtime board members of the organization.
“It has been a privilege and an honor to learn from and work alongside Dodie and Joy, both in the early childhood field and at ZERO TO THREE,” stated Board President Dr. Paul Spicer. “These extraordinary leaders have shown throughout their careers that our work extends far past the university classroom and has a real-world impact on the lives of children and their families. We are all beyond grateful to both of these remarkable innovators, and we are proud to honor them with this special award.”
Dr. Dolores (Dodie) Norton is the Samuel Deutsch Professor Emerita in the School of Social Service Administration (now the Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice) at the University of Chicago. Dr. Norton has published on early linguistic interaction and school achievement, diversity, early socialization, and temporal development in children, and black family life patterns. Her 20-year longitudinal research, “Children at Risk: The Infant and Child Development Project,” investigates patterns of parent/child interaction related to the developmental outcomes, especially school achievement, of high-risk inner-city African American children and their families. She is a graduate of Temple University and received her Master of Social Service degree and doctorate from Bryn Mawr College. Dr. Norton is a past board member of ZERO TO THREE.
Dr. Joy Osofsky is the Paul J. Ramsay Endowed Chair of Psychiatry and Barbara Lemann Professor of Child Welfare at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans and Director of the Harris Center for Infant Mental Health Center. Dr. Osofsky has played a leadership role in the Gulf Region on multiple occasions, serving as clinical director for Child and Adolescent Initiatives for Louisiana Spirit following Hurricane Katrina and as co-principal investigator for the Mental and Behavioral Capacity Project following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. She currently serves as co-principal investigator for the National Child Traumatic Stress Network Center, Terrorism, and Disaster Coalition for Child and Family Resilience. She holds a doctorate and a master’s degree in Psychology from Syracuse University. Dr. Osofsky is a current board member and past president of ZERO TO THREE.
“Dodie and Joy are shining lights in our field, providing decades of knowledge, teaching, and service,” stated Matthew Melmed, executive director of ZERO TO THREE. “Their impact is felt in virtually every aspect of early childhood, and their fingerprints are on every inch of our organization. They truly have shown us, through their research and hands-on expertise, that our work has a real and lasting impact on the lives of babies, toddlers, and their families. I’m thrilled to honor them today with this award, and for all their leadership throughout the years, they have all of our utmost gratitude.”
ZERO TO THREE will present Dr. Osofsky and Dr. Norton with their awards this week at its virtual Annual Conference, scheduled to take place from October 25-29. For more information about ZERO TO THREE, please visit zerotothree.org.
