Marlene has worked with parents, teachers and children for 30 years, directed foster care and counseling programs, provided parent and teacher education in MA & FL. She also taught Child/Family/Teacher Relations at USFL for 8 years.

She holds a M.A. In Family Studies from Goddard College had the privilege of attending the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School, as well as three years in a Ph.D program on public policy and child welfare. She is a mother and grandmother.

She is the author of If Only They Came with Instructions, as well as a series of books for first grade students and their families.