Past Events
SCHOOL YEAR 2023-2024
Devorah Heitner
Growing Up in Public: Helping our Kids Navigate the Digital Coming of Age
Julie Lythcott-Haims
How to Raise an Adult: Break Free of the Overparenting Trap and Prepare Your Kid for Success
Cara Natterson, MD & Vanessa Kroll Bennett
This Is So Awkward: A Conversation About How Puberty Has Changed
Susan Paterno
Game On: Why College Admission Is Rigged and How To Beat the System
SCHOOL YEAR 2022-2023
Becky Munsterer Sabky
You’re Enough: How to Apply to College While Keeping Perspective
Adam ‘Smiley’ Poswolsky
Friendship in the Age of Loneliness: How to Make Friends as an Adult
Kristin Russo
Supporting LGBTQ+ Youth: In Our Families, In Our Community
Wendy Sterling, Signe Darpinian & Shelley Aggarwal
Raising Body Positive Teens
Dr. Kelli Harding
The Rabbit Effect: The Ground-breaking Science of Kindness
Lisa Damour
The Emotional Lives of Teenagers: Raising Connected, Capable, and Compassionate Adolescents
SCHOOL YEAR 2021-2022
Ron Lieber
The Price You Pay For College
Ron Lieber
The Opposite of Spoiled: Raising Kids Who Are Grounded, Generous, and Smart About Money
Michael Bradley
Yes, Your Teen Is Crazy
Colin Seale
The Question Is the Answer: Practical Strategies to Unleash Critical Thinking at Home
Jessica Lahey
The Addiction Inoculation: Raising Healthy Kids in a Culture of Dependence
Rosetta Lee
Implicit and Unconscious Bias: Bridging the Distance Between Our Professed Values and Daily Behaviors
Scott Schimmel
Critical Foundations: The Questions Every Kid Must Answer to Build a Meaningful Life
Shafia Zaloom
Creating a Foundation for a Healthy Relationship with Sexuality
SCHOOL YEAR 2020-2021
Jeff Selingo
Who Gets In and Why
Marc Brackett
Permission to Feel
Michael Reichert, Ph.D.
How to Raise a Boy
Phyllis Fagell
Middle School Matters
Nicole Lee
Raising Antiracist Kids
William Stixrud, Ph.D. and Ned Johnson
What Do You Say?
Tina Payne Bryson
The Power of Showing Up
SCHOOL YEAR 2019-2020
W. Thomas Boyce, M.D.
The Orchid and the Dandelion: Why Some Children Struggle and How All Can Thrive
Max Stossel
Education in the Age of Distraction
Bonnie Halpern-Felsher, Ph.D.
The Vaping Crisis: What Is It Doing to Our Youth?
William Stixrud, Ph.D. and Ned Johnson
The Self-Driven Child
Scott Hartley
The Fuzzy and the Techie: Why the Liberal Arts Will Rule the Digital World
Peggy Orenstein
Boys and Sex: Navigating Sex and Masculinity in Todays Hook-up Culture
Kelly McGonigal, Ph.D.
The Joy of Movement: How Exercise Helps Us Find Happiness, Hope, Connection, and Courage
SCHOOL YEAR 2018-2019
Film Screening
LIKE explores the impact of social media on our lives.
Jeff Selingo
There is Life After College: Navigating School to Prepare for the Jobs of Tomorrow
Kristin Neff Ph.D.
Self-Compassion: Way to Accept Yourself, Build Inner Strength, and Thrive
Katie Hurley L.C.S.W.
Raising Resilient Kids in a Stressful World
Sonja Lyubomirsky Ph.D.
The Myths of Happiness: The Science and Practice of Increasing Well-being
Film Screening and Discussion Panel
Angst: Raising Awareness Around Anxiety
Dr. Rafael Pelayo
Sleep: Crucial Key to Wellness and Success
Lynn O’Shaughnessy
Crucial Key to Wellness and Success
SCHOOL YEAR 2017-2018
Laura Kastner, Ph.D.
Getting College Ready: 7 Essentials for Raising Children Who Succeed
Leonard Sax, M.D., Ph.D.
Helping Our Boys in School and Life
Devorah Heitner, Ph.D.
Raising Digital Natives
Dan Siegel, M.D.
Cultivating Resilience from the Inside Out: Developing a Yes Brain in Children and Adolescents
Julie Lythcott-Haims
Real American: A Memoir
Dr. Gabor Mate
Why Parents Matter More Than Peers: Restoring a Healthy Balance in Adult-Child Relationships
Sally Springer, Ph. D.
Admission Matters: What Students and Parents Need to Know About Getting into College
SCHOOL YEAR 2016-2017
Lloyd Thacker
Turning the Tide: Reshaping the College Admissions Process
Susan Stiffelman
Parenting with Presence: Raising Confident and Caring Kids
Barbara Bradley Hagerty
Life Reimagined: Redrawing the Map for our Health, Relationships, and Future
Film Screening
Growing Up in the Digital Age
Victoria Dunckley
Reset Your Childs Brain: Reversing the Effects of Electronic Screen-Time
William Deresiewicz
Excellent Sheep: Reframing College as a Time for Self-Discovery
Peggy Orenstein
Girls & Sex: Navigating the Complicated New Landscape
SCHOOL YEAR 2015-2016
Kelly McGonigal
The New Science of Stress: How to Make Stress Your Friend
Frank Bruni
Where You Go is Not Who You’ll Be: An Antidote to the College Admissions Mania
Wellness Panel
The Parent Relationship Your Child Needs
Julie Lythcott-Haims
How to Raise an Adult: Preparing Your Kid for Success
View Video
Lynn O’Shaughnessy
The College Solution: Looking for the Right College at the Right Price
Lawrence Cohen
The Opposite of Worry: How to Deal with Anxiety and Fears
SCHOOL YEAR 2014-2015
Sally Springer, Ph.D. – Admission Matters: What Students & Parents Need to Know About Applying to College
Shauna Shapiro, Ph.D. – Mindful Discipline: A Loving Approach to Setting Limits & Raising an Emotionally Intelligent Child
Lynn O’Shaughnessy – The College Solution: Looking for the Right College at the Right Price
Wellness Panel – Helping Your Teen Make Wise Choices
Laura Kastner, Ph.D. – Wise-Minded Parenting: 7 Essentials for Raising Successful Tweens & Teens
Film Screening: The Mask You Live In As a Society, Are We Failing Our Boys?
Moderated by Dr. Jerrold Shapiro
Ryan McKelley – Unmasking Masculinity: Helping Boys Become Connected Men
SCHOOL YEAR 2013-2014
Brad Sachs, Ph.D. – Good Enough Parenting: Creating Conversations that Change Children’s Lives
Jerrold Lee Shapiro, Ph.D. – Preparing For and Surviving the College Application Process
Gloria Moskowitz-Sweet & Erica Pelavin – My Digital TAT2 – Parenting in the Age of Social Media
Jeff Selingo – College Unbound: The Changing Landscape of Higher Education
Madeline Levine, Ph.D. – Teach Your Children Well: Parenting for Authentic Success
Adam Gazzaley, M.D., Ph.D. – Our Distracted Mind: Brain, Memory and Multi-tasking
SCHOOL YEAR 2012-2013
Film Showing: Bully – Moderated by Gloria Moskowitz-Sweet
James Steyer – Talking Back to Facebook
Dean Blumberg Ph.D. – Teen Brains: The Latest Research
Ben Kaplan – How to Go to College for Almost Free
Deborah Gilboa, M.D.– Raising Kids Who Can Launch
Larry Rosen, Ph.D. – Parenting the iGeneration and Generation C: Why Our Kids Love Technology and What it is Doing to Their Brains
Christine VanDeVelde – College Admission: From Application to Acceptance
Jerrold Shapiro, Ph.D. – Surviving Junior & Senior Year: A Parents’ Guide to the Application Process Jerrold Shapiro
SCHOOL YEAR 2011-2012
Film Showing – Miss Representation
Ellen Galinsky – Mind in the Making: The Seven Essential Life Skills
Michael Bradley – Loving Your Teen Without Losing Your Mind
Niobe Way – Boys and the Crisis of Connection
Christine Carter, Ph.D. – Coaching Kids Through Change
Jon Reider – The College Admission Scene Today: Surviving the Frenzy with Style and Humor
Peggy Orenstein – From Princess to Pop-Tarts
Jerrold Shapiro, Ph.D. – Surviving the College Application Process
SCHOOL YEAR 2010-2011
Brené Brown, Ph.D – The Gifts of Imperfect Parenting: Five Guideposts for Raising Children
Fred Luskin, Ph.D. – Stress Less: The Role of Stress Management in Creating Happiness
Rebecca Randall, Common Sense Media – Digital Citizenship: Raising Kids in Our 24/7 Connected Culture
Lisa Boesky, Ph.D. – Is My Teen Normal: When to Worry and When to Relax
Cliff Nass, Ph.D. – Multitasking and Your Tween/Teen: How Technology Effects Intellectual and Social Growth
John Medina, Ph.D. – Brain Rules: How to Raise Smart and Happy Child
Jon Reider, Ph.D. – The College Admission Scene Today:Surviving the Frenzy with Style and Humor
Teen Justice 101: What parents and teens need to know about drugs, drinking, and driving
In partnership with the League of Women Voters
Jerrold Lee Shapiro, Ph.D. – Surviving the Application Process: A Practical Guide to the College Transition
Po Bronson – NutureShock: New Thinking About Children
SCHOOL YEAR 2009-2010
Kenneth Ginsburg, M.D. – Building Resilience in Our Youth: Raising Healthy Kids
Kenneth Ginsburg, M.D. – Workshop for health professionals, counselors and educators who work with children
Adolescent Health Panel
– Catherine Miller, M.D. (Adolescent Medicine)
– Katherine Sutherland, M.D. (OB/GYN: Teen Sexuality)
– Francis Wren, M.D. (Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist)
– Fred Luskin, Ph.D. (Psychologist)
Guy Kawasaki – The Art of Innovation and How to Nurture It
Film Showing: Race to Nowhere
Annie Fox, M.Ed. – Why 21st Century Kids Need 21st Century Parenting
Frank Carbajal – Building the Latino Future – Success Stories for the Next Generation
Laura Kastner, Ph.D. – Getting to Calm: Parenting Teens and Tweens
Rachel Simmons – The Curse of the Good Girl: Raising Authentic Girls with Courage and Confidence
SCHOOL YEAR 2008-2009
Rachel Simmons – Odd Girl Out
Laura Kastner – The Launching Years
Mike Riera – Staying Connected to Your Teen
Jerrold Shapiro, Ph.D. – Surviving the College Application Process
Dr. B.J. Fogg & Linda Fogg Phillips – Facebook for Parents: What you Need to Know
Leonard Sax – Boys Adrift
SCHOOL YEAR 2007-2008
Madeline Levine, Ph.D. – The Price of Privilege
(Note: Predates official MVLA Series)