Jane Powers: Promoting the Betterment of Adolescents

A graduate of the River Dell Class of 1973, Dr. Jane Levine Powers has devoted her entire professional career to promoting the betterment of adolescents in society.

Powers attended the University of Michigan and received a B.A in Social Science and then went on to Cornell University and received a Ph.D in Developmental Psychology.

As part of her dedication, she has conducted many research project, publish a book, wrote many articles and has presented at national conferences. She is the co-author of "Understanding Survivors of Abuse: Stories of Homeless and Runaway Adolescents", with Barbara Jaklitsch to provide a framework for understanding and interpreting the experiences related by individuals

Since 1985, Dr. Powers has been a senior research associate at Cornell University’s Family Life Development Center. Since 2000, she has been involved in the application of research and knowledge specifically around promoting the health and well being of adolescents and preventing risk behaviors, including violence, sexually risky behavior, and abuse.

She currently directs the Assets Coming Together (ACT) for Youth Center of Excellence, a collaboration of Cornell, the University of Rochester Division of Adolescent Medicine the New York State Center for School Safet, and Cornell Cooperative Extension in NYC, that provides assistance and support to communities with support from the New York State Department of Health.