Kiersten Simon, MS, MBA, serves as Executive Director of Prevention Academy within Saint Joseph’s University’s School of Education and Human Development. In this role, she leads the development and delivery of research-informed prevention education initiatives for adolescents, educators, families, and school communities across Delaware and Montgomery Counties, Pennsylvania.
Simon began her career specializing in adolescent and adult substance use disorders, working in clinical settings as a Primary Therapist, Site Director, and Clinical Supervisor. Her work with adolescents, young adults, and families led her to recognize the critical importance of addressing substance use and related risk factors upstream through education, research, and meaningful dialogue with young people and the adults who care for them.
That perspective prompted a transition from clinical treatment to a public health model of prevention. Over the course of her prevention career, Kiersten served as a prevention specialist, regional officer, and ultimately Executive Director of a global, school-based prevention organization that grew to serve more than 2.5 million students across 70 countries and 41 U.S. states.
Her academic background reflects both her interest in human development and her commitment to organizational leadership. Simon earned her Master of Science in Education from Saint Joseph’s University, with a focus on how humans learn and the family, societal, and psychological factors that influence learning and decision-making throughout adolescent development. She also holds a Master of Business Administration, complementing her clinical and prevention expertise with a foundation in organizational leadership, management, and strategic development.
At Prevention Academy, Kiersten brings together her clinical experience, prevention expertise, and organizational leadership background to advance a research-informed, upstream approach to prevention education. Her work is grounded in the belief that effective prevention begins early, strengthens protective factors, and engages both young people and the adults and communities who support them.
