Dr. Sharon Zaffarese-Dippold

Dr. Sharon Zaffarese-Dippold’s writing comes from her own lived experiences as a child who experienced multiple foster care and family placement moves involving all forms of childhood abuse and trauma.

Dr. Dippold attended approximately ten or more schools during her formative years as she moved from place to place. In spite of that, she earned a Bachelor in Social Work, a Masters in Social Work, and earned her PhD in Human Services from Capella University with a concentration in Human Behavior/Counseling Studies.

Her Doctoral Dissertation was published in 2016, The Lived Experience Of Former Foster Children Who Had to Move Their Belongings In Garbage Bags. A public speaker and trainer on foster care topics related to her story, her experience with bullying led her to create “INAM- It’s Not About Me,” an anti-bullying program that she presents in the school systems to deflect the impact of being bullied on children.

Dr. Zaffarese-Dippold lives in Saint Mary’s, Pennsylvania, with her husband, where she enjoys spending time with her children and grandchildren. She has been recognized for donating 20% of all net proceeds from her first book, “Just Another Slice,” to the Organization “Together We Rise,” which helps children foster children to be moved with dignity by replacing garbage bags with duffel bags. 10% of proceeds from “Just Another Raggedy Doll” will also be donated to the same organization.