About Dr. Sharon Rose Powell

Dr. Powell is a licensed psychologist and marriage and family therapist in the State of New Jersey.  She received her doctorate degree in counseling psychology from the Graduate School of Education at Rutgers University and a Masters Degree from the Graduate School of Education at the University of California at Berkeley.  Dr. Powell is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

In addition to her training and experience in psychological counseling and family therapy, Dr. Powell has received substantial recognition for her innovative work in school reform and student leadership development.  She is widely regarded for her entrepreneurial skills as a creative leader and designer of successful training programs for adults and young people and for her compassionate approach to working with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures.

Work and Related Experience

• Dr. Powell was founding partner of Princeton Psychological Associates which provided individual and family counseling services to clients during the period 1984 – 1988.
• In 1988 Dr. Powell founded the Princeton Center for Leadership Training, a non-profit company which grew into one of the region’s leading providers of programs and services focused on student leadership development and school reform.   Under Dr. Powell’s leadership, the Princeton Center expanded her peer leadership model, Peer Group Connection, which now operates in hundreds of public and private schools across the U.S., including dozens of high schools in Central New Jersey such as Princeton High School, Princeton Day School, South Brunswick High School, New Brunswick High School, Stuart Country Day School and The Pennington School.
• Since 2001, Dr. Powell has been the Founder and Principal of Princeton Leadership Group, LLC, which provides consulting and advisory services to corporations and nonprofits in the US and abroad.  Services include executive coaching; consulting on corporate transitions such as mergers, executive changes and downsizing strategies; and the development of climate assessment tools.  She and her colleagues have organized and run corporate retreats and training for employees on culture/climate change, collaborative leadership strategies and programs aimed at improving internal communications and morale.
• Dr. Powell serves as Contributing Faculty, Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology, Rutgers University.
• She has provided clinical supervision for candidate's licensure as a New Jersey Psychologist.
• Dr. Powell was co-founder of the Princeton-area chapter of PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians & Gays).
• Awards and professional recognitions have included the Public Health Recognition Award, New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, and the Alumni Achievement Award from the University of North Carolina Graduate School of Education.
• Dr. Powell served as a member of the New Jersey Commission on Bullying, whose 2009 report to the Governor and Legislature has led to passage of significant new legislation to address this problem at school districts throughout New Jersey.
• Dr. Powell is a Certified Prevention Specialist, Addiction Professionals Certification, Board of New Jersey, Inc.
• Dr. Powell is a member of the American Psychological Association, the New Jersey Psychological Association, and the Princeton Regional Chamber of Commerce.