James C. Dobson, Ph.D., is founder and chairman of Focus on the Family®, a nonprofit organization that produces his internationally syndicated radio programs, heard on nearly 4,000 radio facilities in North America and in 20 languages in approximately 3,300 additional facilities in over 116 other

countries. His commentaries are heard by more than 200 million people by way of radio every day, including a translation of a program carried on state-owned radio stations in the Republic of China. He is seen on 80 television stations daily in the United States. He is a licensed psychologist in the state of California and a licensed marriage, family, and child counselor in both California and Colorado. He is a clinical member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy and is listed in Who’s Who in Medicine and Healthcare.

Academia
For 14 years Dobson was an associate clinical professor of pediatrics at the University of Southern California School of Medicine, and he served for 17 years on the attending staff of Childrens Hospital Los Angeles in the Division of Child Development and Medical Genetics. He has an earned Ph.D. from the University of Southern California (1967) in the field of child development. In addition, he has received the following honorary degrees: Doctor of Laws from Pepperdine University (1983); Doctor of Humanities from Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio (1988); Doctor of Humane Letters from Seattle Pacific University (1988); Doctor of Humane Letters from Asbury Theological Seminary (1989); Doctor of Humane Letters from MidAmerica Nazarene College (1992); Doctor of Letters from Liberty University (1993); Doctor of Humane Letters from Campbell University (1994); Doctor of Humane Letters from Point Loma Nazarene College (1994); Doctor of Literature from Biola University (1995); Doctor of Humanities from Abilene Christian University (1995); Doctor of Humane Letters from Huntington College (1997); Doctor of Public Service from Greenville College (1997); Doctor of Humane Letters from William Tyndale College (1998); Doctor of Humanities from Harding University (1999); and Doctor of Humanities from Olivet Nazarene University (1999).

Honors and Affiliations
Dr. Dobson was chosen as Layman of the Year by the National Association of Evangelicals (1982) and was honored as "The Children’s Friend" (1987) by Childhelp USA, an organization devoted to the prevention of child abuse. He received the Alumni Merit Award from the University of Southern California General Alumni Association (1989), the Humanitarian Award by the California State Psychological Association (1988), the Philip Award from the United Methodist Church (1994), the 1996 Man of the Year Award by the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the 1997 International Human Life Award from Human Life International, the Salvation Army "Others" Award (1999), Christian Counseling in the Media Award from the Board of Directors of the Christian Association for Psychological Studies (CAPS) (1999), the Catholic Alliance Family Advocate of the Year Award (2001), the Proudly Pro-Life Award, given by the National Right to Life (2002), the Churchill Award for Courageous and Committed Service to the Conservative Cause from the Council for National Policy (2002), and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ Tom Landry Award (2003).

Published Works
Dr. Dobson’s first book for parents and teachers, Dare to Discipline, has sold over 3 million copies and was selected as one of 50 books to be rebound and placed in the White House Library. It has now been revised and updated and is entitled The New Dare to Discipline. His subsequent 33 books for the family are also best sellers: Hide or Seek, What Wives Wish Their Husbands Knew about Women, Preparing for Adolescence, Straight Talk to Men and Their Wives, Emotions: Can You Trust Them?, Dr. Dobson Answers Your Questions, Love Must Be Tough, Parenting Isn’t for Cowards, Love for a Lifetime, Children at Risk, When God Doesn’t Make Sense, Life on the Edge, Home with a Heart, Solid Answers, Nightlight: A Devotional for Couples, Nightlight for Parents, Bringing Up Boys, and The New Strong-Willed Child.

Film Series
His first film series, Focus on the Family, has now been viewed by over 70 million people. His second film series, Turn Your Heart toward Home, was released in January 1986. A third seven-part series entitled Life on the Edge, designed to help late teens bridge the gap between adolescence and young adulthood, was released in 1994, and in 2002 he produced an eleven-part series based on his best-selling book Bringing up Boys.

Representing the Family
Dr. Dobson has been heavily involved in governmental activities related to the family. He served on the task force that summarized the White House Conference on Families and received a special commendation from President Jimmy Carter in 1980. He was appointed by President Ronald Reagan to the National Advisory Commission to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (1982–1984). From 1984 to 1987 he was regularly invited to the White House to consult with President Reagan and his staff on family matters. He served as cochairman of the Citizens’ Advisory Panel for Tax Reform, in consultation with President Reagan, and served as a member and later chairman of the United States Army’s Family Initiative (1986–1988).

He was appointed to Attorney General Edwin Meese’s Commission on Pornography (1985–1986). Dr. Dobson was also appointed in the spring of 1987 to the Attorney General’s Advisory Board on Missing and Exploited Children, and to Secretary Otis Bowen’s Panel on Teen Pregnancy Prevention, within the Department of Health and Human Services. In October 1987, he received the Marian Pfister Anschutz Award in recognition of his contribution to the American family. A videotaped message of congratulations was sent by President Reagan. He also consulted with President George Bush on family-related matters. In December 1994, Dr. Dobson was appointed by Senator Robert Dole to the Commission on Child and Family Welfare and in October 1996 was appointed by Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott to the National Gambling Impact Study Commission.

The Dobson Family
Dr. Dobson is married to Shirley and is the father of two grown children, Danae and Ryan. He resides in Colorado.