“To truly develop empathy is to see each one of us as more than one thing”. - Fred Rogers. Can empathy be learned?  What are practical ways to incorporate empathy into our day-to-day interactions as leaders?

In this episode, President & Founder Steve Shenbaum sits down with Dana Winters, Ph.D., faculty, and academic director of the Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Children’s Media at Saint Vincent College, in an impactful dialogue around the impact of leading through simple, intentional interactions. Dr. Winters shares the power of cultivating an environment where connection, reciprocity, and inclusion are evident, empowering others with the opportunity to grow. 

In addition to Dr. Winter's role at the Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Children’s Media at Saint Vincent College, she also serves as Assistant Professor of Psychological Sciences and director of the Children’s Studies Minor. Her extensive field research from interviewing prisoners to shadowing crossing guards, from observing Head Start teachers and developing coaches in early childhood systems has informed the co-development of the Simple Interactions approach to support children, families, and their helpers. 

Dr. Winters serves as a UNESCO Faculty Fellow in Children and Youth Studies, collaborating with faculty around the world in the advancement of empathy development and adult-child relationships across developmental settings. She received her Ph.D. in administrative and policy studies from the University of Pittsburgh.

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