March 27, 2023 — Who’s a Bully?

Monday Morning Magic from Inkandescent® PR + Publishing Co. — When it comes to defending the little guy, children’s book author, former geriatric physiatrist, and mom Staci Schwartz is at the top of her game. A bullying prevention activist, she has spent the last two decades performing interactive readings and bullying prevention workshops for children in elementary schools, after-school programs, and religious institutions.

Staci is also a musical theater producer! “I adapted one of my children’s books into a play, Billy the Baaadly Behaving Bully Goat: The Musical, performed at the 2019 Philadelphia Fringe Festival,” she shares. “With additional performances canceled or postponed by the pandemic, I used the time to expand the script, and I worked with my composer to write three additional original songs (bringing the total to 8) so that the show could appeal to an even wider audience once it’s back up and running.”

Staci founded Good Character Productions, LLC, and is looking for sponsors to support the development of a multimedia bullying prevention package that includes live and virtual performances of the show, a soundtrack of the music, books, and teaching guides for parents/caregivers, teachers, and children—all to teach kids to be kind, empathetic, and inclusive and to stand up for themselves and each other. To learn more, click here to send her an email.

I’m proud to report that Staci and I have been friends since elementary school. She is this month’s feature in our Classmates column, where we honor folks who have grown up to do great things! Scroll down for responses to our Q&A! And look for amazing things from this Truly Amazing Woman.

Until next Monday: May you stand up for what you believe in! — Hope Katz Gibbs, founder and president, Inkandescent® Inc. Inkandescent.us

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Plymouth-Whitemarsh Class of 1982: Tell us about your journey to becoming a doctor.

Staci: Yes! After graduating high school, I went to college at Ursinus and medical school at Jefferson. I completed a residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and a subsequent fellowship in Geriatric Rehabilitation at Temple University. I practiced for several years and left my clinical practice to stay home and raise our daughter. During this amazing time, I began to write and illustrate children’s books.

So many people have thought I was a pediatrician because I write children’s books and do bullying prevention work for kids, but my former clinical practice involved taking care of the elderly, especially patients who had strokes, arthritis/joint replacements, and cardiopulmonary disease.

PW Class of 1982: Tell us about your personal life.

Staci: I have been married for 30 wonderful years, since 1992! He is is a cardiologist at Jefferson. We have one beautiful daughter who graduated from the School of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Pennsylvania and now works for a Virtual Reality company.

PW Class of 1982: What did you dream of becoming when you were in high school?

Staci: A doctor or a medical illustrator.

PW Class of 1982: What advice would you give to your high school self?

Staci: I would tell myself to enjoy every minute of high school because that time of my life flew by much too quickly.

PW Class of 1982: What advice do you have for others about creating your best life?

Staci: Always put family first, pursue your passions, don’t sweat the small stuff, and treat others with kindness and respect.

PW Class of 1982: What would you like to say to all of your classmates today?

Staci: I just want to wish everyone the very best! We are so lucky to have grown up when we did—during simpler times. I am so grateful to have connections with classmates still, and look forward to reading our Classmates column to find out even more about what is going on in everyone’s lives!

Connect with Staci: