2019 Scribbles to Novels – Boston

STUART ABLON, Ph.D., is the Director of Think:Kids in the Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital. He is also Associate Professor and the Thomas G. Stemberg Endowed Chair in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Ablon is author of the books Changeable: The Surprising Science Behind Helping Anyone Change, Treating Explosive Kids: The Collaborative Problem Solving Approach, and The School Discipline Fix.

Dr. Ablon received his doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of California at Berkeley and completed his training at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. A dynamic and engaging speaker, Dr. Ablon was ranked #5 on the list of the world’s top rated keynote speakers in the academic arena. Dr. Ablon trains parents, educators, and clinicians, and helps organizations throughout the world implement the Collaborative Problem Solving approach.

LESA CLINE-RANSOME’s first book was the biography Satchel Paige, an ALA Notable Book and a Bank Street College “Best Children’s Book of the Year.  She later created a number of picture books including  Quilt Alphabet, Major Taylor: Champion Cyclist, Young Pele,  Words Set Me Free,  My Story, My Dance, and Germs:  Fact and Fiction, Friends and Foes.  Her verse biography of Harriet Tubman, Before She Was Harriet, was nominated for an NAACP image award, and received a Coretta Scott King Honor for Illustration.  Her newest picture biography is Game Changers: The Story of Venus and Serena Williams, is an ALA Notable. Finding Langston, her debut middle grade novel is a 2018 School Library Journal Best Book, Kirkus Reviews Best Middle Grade Novel, New York Public Library Best Book of 2018 and the 2019 winner of the Scott O’Dell award for Historical Nonfiction and a Coretta Scott King Author Honor book.

Lesa’s books have received numerous honors and awards including NAACP Awards , Kirkus Best Books, ALA Notable, CBC Choice Awards,  two Top 10 Sports Books for Youth,  a Christopher Award, Jane Addams Award and an Orbis Pictus Recommended Book. She lives in the Hudson Valley region of New York with her husband, and frequent collaborator, illustrator James Ransome.  Visit her at www.lesaclineransome.com.

Daniela Lamas is a pulmonary and critical care doctor at the Brigham & Women’s Hospital and faculty at Harvard Medical School. Following graduation from Harvard College, she went on to earn her MD at Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons, where she also completed internship and residency. She then returned to Boston for her subspecialty fellowship. She has worked as a medical reporter at the Miami Herald, is frequently published in the New York Times and has also worked as a television writer for a medical TV drama. You Can Stop Humming Now is her first book and was published by Little, Brown in March 2018.

B.A. SHAPIRO is New York Times bestselling author of The Muralist and The Art Forger, which won the New England Book Award for Fiction and the Boston Authors Society Award for Fiction, among other honors. Her books have been selected as Community Reads in numerous cities and have been translated into over ten languages. Shapiro has taught sociology at Tufts University and creative writing at Northeastern University. She divides her time between Boston and Florida along with her husband, Dan, and their dog, Sagan. Her website is www.bashapirobooks.com.

CHAD CARVEY, “The Principal Auctioneer,” will be the evening’s auctioneer! Chad served as a school principal for 29 years, and has been a professional auctioneer for nearly two decades. Chad has been the benefit auctioneer specialist for The San Francisco 49ers, The US Olympics, Richard Branson and Jackson Browne’s OceanElders, Twitter, Pixar, Sharon Stone, YMCA, Marin Humane Society, Latino Community Foundation, Leukemia and Lymphoma, and many schools, hospitals, symphonies, and other great causes. As one of only 20 auctioneers in the State of California (and only 120 in the USA) who currently holds the designation of “Benefit Auctioneer Specialist” from the National Auctioneers Association, Chad has the most up-to-date knowledge and experience that’s specific to the unique challenges of gala fundraisers. Chad’s very specialized training, in combination with his relentless passion to assist vital causes, such as ours, is evident in all he does! For more information please visit: www.principalauctioneer.com.