Rachel Simmons is the author of the New York Times bestseller Odd Girl Out: The Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls, the first book to explore the phenomenon of bullying between girls. Rachel works internationally with girls, parents, and teachers to develop strategies to address bullying and empower girls.
A graduate of Vassar College, Rachel previously worked for Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani as an Urban Fellow and for New York's senior Senator, Charles E. Schumer. In 1998, she won a Rhodes Scholarship from New York and attended Oxford University, where she began studying female aggression.
Rachel is currently Scholar-in-Residence at Miss Hall's School, a nationally recognized school for girls that combines rigorous college-preparatory curriculum with two acclaimed programs, Horizons and the Girls' Leadership Project. Rachel teaches students and teachers at Miss Hall's, and conducts independent research.
Rachel is the Founding Director of the Girls’ Leadership Institute, a summer program for middle and high school girls, and currently serves as a consultant to schools around the country.
A national expert on girls, Rachel has appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show, Today, Dateline NBC, and NPR's Diane Rehm Show and Talk of the Nation. Rachel lives in Brooklyn with her West Highland Terrier, Rosie, who is currently taking private workshops with Rachel to learn how to stop bullying other dogs.
Rachel spoke to a large group of interested parents on Wednesday, April 22 in the HS Drama Theater.