An Angel in the Nursery

Justice for children and families is the communal face of love. 

The ZERO TO THREE Lifetime Achievement Award for Dedication to Improving the Lives of Young Children recognizes substantive contributions to improving the lives of infants, toddlers and their families. Award recipients are individuals whose research, practice, teaching, or advocacy has had a demonstrable impact on very young children and those who care for them.

Dr. Alicia Lieberman received ZERO TO THREE’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020. Dr. Lieberman is the Irving B. Harris Endowed Chair in Infant Mental Health at the University of California-San Francisco (UCSF) and the Director of the Child Trauma Research Program at San Francisco General Hospital.

Dr. Lieberman is the developer of Child-Parent Psychotherapy, an evidence-based treatment for traumatized children from birth-5 years old. She has made major contributions to the field’s understanding of attachment, toddler development, and cross-cultural perspectives on early development through her research, writing, training and consultation. She was awarded with the 2015 Public Health Hero Award by the San Francisco Department of Public Health, as well as the 2015 Certificate of Honor by the San Francisco City and County Board of Supervisors. Her work continues to inspire and inform ZERO TO THREE’s efforts today, as well as those of professionals throughout the early childhood field.

“When others speak about Dr. Lieberman, a common thread is the compassion and wisdom that she brings to our profession,” said ZERO TO THREE Executive Director Matthew Melmed. “She has always been quick to recognize and lift up the positive practices that shape parenting, leading to her concept of ‘angels in the nursery.’ This is truly a well-deserved honor for an inspiring leader and mentor to us all.”

Learn more about ZERO TO THREE’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

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