Progress in Pediatrics 2027

Keynote Speaker

Dr. Bonnie Halpern-Felsher is the Marron and Mary Elizabeth Kendrick Professor in Pediatrics II in the Division of Adolescent Medicine, Department of Pediatrics at Stanford University. A developmental psychologist with specialized training in adolescent and young adult health, she is the founder and executive director of the Stanford REACH Lab and has led the development of several nationally and internationally recognized substance use education, prevention, and intervention programs.

Dr. Halpern-Felsher has received numerous honors for her work. In 2025, she was named the American Lung Association Outstanding Mother of the Year, recognizing women who successfully balance professional achievement with family life while contributing meaningfully to the organization’s mission. That same year, she received the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco (SRNT) John Slade Award, which honors individuals whose research has significantly influenced tobacco-related policy. Most recently, she was awarded the 2026 Cullen Award from the American Society of Preventive Oncology. She also served as Past President of the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine.

Supported by funding from the National Institutes of Health and numerous foundations, Dr. Halpern-Felsher’s research focuses on understanding and reducing tobacco, marijuana, and other substance use among adolescents and young adults. Her extensive body of work—comprising more than 250 publications, along with substantial committee and advocacy contributions—has played a key role in shaping public health policy at local, state, and national levels. She has served as a consultant to multiple community-based adolescent health programs, contributed to three U.S. Surgeon General’s Reports, participated in six National Academies of Sciences committees, and served on several national campaigns and advisory groups dedicated to reducing youth substance use.