About this Event
What does it mean to raise boys to thrive in an ever-changing world? As boys navigate evolving expectations around masculinity, friendship, identity, and belonging, parents and educators have a vital opportunity to guide them. By fostering a strong sense of self, we can help them build empathy, resilience, sound judgment, and meaningful relationships.
Join us for a thoughtful and engaging conversation about the joys and complexities of raising boys today, featuring:
- Dr. Matt Englar-Carlson, Professor of Counseling and Director of the Center for Boys and Men at California State University, Fullerton, whose work focuses on healthy boyhood and positive masculinity
- Ruth Whippman, journalist, essayist, and author of BOYMOM: Reimagining Boyhood in the Age of Impossible Masculinity
- Christopher Pepper, health educator and co-author of Talk to Your Boys: 16 Conversations to Help Tweens and Teens Grow Into Confident, Caring Young Men
Joined by your hosts, Lorri Hamilton Durbin (Head of School at Town School for Boys) and Dr. Nina Kaiser (Founder & CEO of Practice San Francisco), the panel will explore what boys need from the adults in their lives, how peer dynamics shape their choices, and how we can empower them to think independently, act with integrity, and stand up for themselves and others. At the heart of this discussion is a shared commitment to helping boys grow into compassionate, capable young men who contribute positively to the world around them.
About the speakers
Dr. Matt Englar-Carlson is a professor of counseling at California State University, Fullerton, and a nationally recognized scholar and educator specializing in the psychology of men and boys, masculinities, and mental health. His research pioneered a shift from deficit-based views of masculinity toward strength based, prosocial, healthy masculinities in boys and men. In his numerous books and publications and across community and educational contexts, he emphasizes healthy identities, meaningful connections, and emotional awareness. He is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, a frequent media contributor on modern masculinity and health, and a sought-after speaker and consultant. Through research, teaching, and public engagement, he encourages educators, parents, and mental health professionals to rethink conventional views of masculinity and better support boys’ and men’s well-being and development. He sits on Movember’s Global Men’s Health Advisory Committee and contributes to many of their efforts in men’s health.
Ruth Whippman is a British author, journalist and cultural critic living in the United States. A former BBC documentary film producer and director, her writing now appears in the New York Times, The Guardian, Time magazine and elsewhere. The author of the books America the Anxious and Boymom, Reimagining Boyhood in the Age of Impossible Masculinity, she is a regular contributor to radio, TV and podcasts. Her work has been covered in the New York Times, The Atlantic, The New Yorker, NPR, the BBC and CNN amongst other outlets. She lives in Berkeley, California with her husband and three sons.
Christopher Pepper is the co-author of the bestselling book TALK TO YOUR BOYS: 16 Conversations to Help Tweens and Teens Grow into Confident, Caring Young Men. He is an award-winning health educator who currently teaches at Los Altos High School. He spent more than two decades teaching in San Francisco public schools, where he started the district’s Young Men’s Health Project, which brings middle and high school boys to talk about emotions, mental health, and masculinity. His popular Substack newsletter, Teen Health Today, reaches thousands of readers each week, and his work has been featured in The New York Times, The San Francisco Chronicle, ParentData, NPR, and CNN. He lives in Berkeley and is the father of two boys.
About the hosts
Dr. Nina Kaiser is the Founder & CEO of Practice San Francisco, and a licensed psychologist (CA 22555) with twenty years of experience in child, adolescent, and parent mental health across university, medical center, and outpatient settings. She obtained her M.S. and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Purdue University, and worked in the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Department of Psychiatry prior to founding Practice San Francisco in 2017.
Lorri Hamilton Durbin joined Town School for Boys in 2017 as an experienced educational leader with an extensive background in independent school administration, leadership development, and admissions. She holds a B.A. from Pomona College, an M.A. from Stanford University, and an M.B.A. from Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business, having previously held leadership positions at The Dalton School, Columbia University’s Klingenstein Center, The Nueva School, and San Francisco University High School.
Event venue & nearby stays
Town School for Boys, 2750 Jackson Street, San Francisco, United States
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