funder briefing

Embedding Adolescent Development into Philanthropy

DATE

December 1, 2026

TIME

1-2pm ET / 10-11am PT

LOCATION

Virtual

From Insight to Action

What might you do differently if adolescent development were more fully centered in your work? Join this funder-only briefing to learn practical entry points and discuss real-world examples of grantmakers translating adolescent developmental science into action.

Guided by the Search Institute report Embedding Adolescent Development into Philanthropy, we’ll review key points on the science of adolescent development; discuss why and how to integrate the science into grantmaking strategies; and hear from two funders leading by example. Thanks to the Funders for Adolescent Science Translation for supporting the development of the report. This webinar is presented by Grantmakers for Thriving Youth, Search Institute, Funders for Adolescent Science Translation, and Youth Transition Funders Group.

Speakers:

Tiffany Fabing, Program Director, Jewish Heritage Fund
Andy Kucer, Senior Program Officer, The Hive at Spring Point Partners LLC
Joanna Williams, Ph.D., Senior Director of Research, Search Institute

This program is open to funders only.

Speakers

Tiffany Fabing

Program Director, Jewish Heritage Fund

Tiffany joined JHF in 2013. As Program Director, she guides the programs and partnerships that contribute to JHF’s health and medical research funding goals, and spends much of her time building and nurturing relationships with grantees and other community partners.

Tiffany holds a B.A. in English and a Masters of Urban Planning from the University of Louisville School of Urban and Public Affairs. Outside of the office, she enjoys hiking, reading, and sharing meals with family and friends.

Andy Kucer

Senior Program Officer, The Hive

As the Senior Program Officer for The Hive at Spring Point, Andy Kucer brings a passion for strength-based youth development, research, and systems change to his role. In helping to lead the portfolio, Andy applies his previous experience in leadership roles at national and local organizations in the legal services, youth development, and affordable housing spaces. The Hive focuses on amplifying voice, choice, and opportunity for young people while strengthening cross-system collaboration to help make Philadelphia more adolescent-friendly.

Prior to Spring Point Partners, Andy served as Executive Director of Students Run Philly Style, a mentoring organization serving more than 1,500 young people annually. He has also held leadership roles at several national and community-based youth-serving organizations, including Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and the nonprofit arm of the nation’s largest affordable housing owner. Andy holds a BA from Stanford University and a JD from Villanova University School of Law, was a University of Pennsylvania Community Scholar, and most recently earned an Executive Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Harvard University. Andy lives with his two sons in West Philly, where he can be found at the baseball field or chasing his kids around skateparks across the city.

Joanna Williams, Ph.D.

Senior Director of Research, Search Institute

Joanna Williams, Ph.D., is Senior Director of Research at Search Institute, a non-profit organization working to cultivate the strengths, relationships, and opportunities necessary for young people to learn, grow, contribute, and thrive. Dr. Williams earned her doctoral degree in developmental psychology from Temple University; her education and learning journey have also been shaped by supportive mentors, peers, and young people. She previously served as a tenured faculty member at the University of Virginia and Rutgers University, where she cultivated her research skills with a focus on issues of racial equity and positive youth development.

Dr. Williams is committed to working at the intersection of research and practice and is involved in efforts to translate the science of adolescent development into useful recommendations for parents, practitioners, and policymakers. She is a member and former co-director of the National Scientific Council on Adolescence.