Brief Bio

Dr. Caroline Watts is the Director of School and Community Engagement at Penn GSE, and works to facilitate and support partnerships with schools and communities in order to improve the educational outcomes and overall wellbeing of children and youth in Philadelphia. As a psychologist, program administrator, practicing child therapist and university educator, she has devoted her career to developing healthy educational environments for children and youth. She has focused on building capacity in mental health and educational systems to serve the complex needs of urban children, youth, and families through creating innovative institutional partnerships among schools, universities, and community health organizations. 

At Penn GSE, Dr. Watts has served as the university’s liaison to the Henry C. Lea Elementary School in West Philadelphia, and as a member of the Penn Partnership faculty group that served as a leadership support team for several West Philadelphia schools. She has also been the School’s Coordinator of Special Education, working across divisions to develop coursework and experiential placements for students that will provide critical learning related to issues in special education and English language learners (ELL). In addition to her school- and community-based work, Dr. Watts coordinates the internship program for students in the Professional Counseling Program at Penn GSE.