# Rosalind Wiseman

Rosalind Wiseman is an American author, public speaker, and consultant known for her work on youth social dynamics, leadership, and cultural dignity. She is the best-selling author of nine books, including the New York Times bestsellers *Queen Bees and Wannabes*—which inspired the *Mean Girls* movie and musical franchise—and *Masterminds & Wingmen*, which was named Best Parenting Book by Books for a Better Life.

## Early life

Wiseman grew up in Washington, D.C., with her two younger siblings and parents. She attended Maret School in Washington, DC, before pursuing her education at Occidental College in Los Angeles. While at Occidental, she majored in political theory and studied martial arts with fellow student James Edwards, whom she later married in 1996. By the time she graduated with a bachelor's degree in Political Science in 1991, Wiseman had earned a second degree blackbelt in Tang Soo Do karate.

## Career

After graduating, Wiseman and Edwards returned to Washington, D.C., where she began teaching martial arts to young women. Through this work, she discovered her passion for youth empowerment after observing how martial arts training empowered her students and hearing their concerns about social issues they faced. At the same time, she was a member of several federal advisory boards including SAMSHA, and one that contributed to the Violence Against Women Act. She was certified by the Program for Young Negotiators at Harvard University in 1994.
Drawing from over a decade of experience working with girls on issues including social dynamics, cliques, self-image, and relationships, Wiseman wrote *Queen Bees & Wannabes* (2002). The book provides parents with insights and strategies to help their daughters navigate what Wiseman terms "Girl World." The book became a New York Times Best Seller and served as the basis for the 2004 film *Mean Girls*. In 2015, she co-founded Cultures of Dignity, an organization providing consulting services related to education and well-being. She is also the creator of the Owning Up Curriculum.

## Current Work and Consulting

Wiseman serves as a senior leadership consultant at the US State Department's Office for Overseas Schools, working with over 195 schools worldwide. She keynotes and speaks throughout the world in government, corporate, and education conferences and is the co-host of the podcast In AI We Trust? In collaboration with Equal AI’s CEO Miriam Vogel. She is also a consultant at the Texas Science Behavior and Mind Institute and a board member of the Johnson Depression Center at Anschutz Medical Center.

## Speaking and Media Presence

As a global thought leader, Wiseman regularly speaks on leadership, conflict, communication, and youth culture to diverse audiences including:
- Government institutions (U.S. Justice Department, Library of Congress, State Department)
- Technology companies (Microsoft, Google)
- Educational organizations (American Association of School Administrators)
- International conferences (South by Southwest, Game Developers Conference)
- The White House across multiple administrations
Her work has been featured in major media outlets including *The New York Times*, *The London Times*, *The Atlantic*, *The Chicago Tribune*, *The Washington Post*, *USA Today*, and NPR affiliates.

## Personal Life

Wiseman is Jewish, with ancestors from Poland and Germany. She currently lives in Boulder, Colorado, with her husband and has two sons.

## Recent Contributions

Wiseman contributed to David Yeager's book *10 to 25: A Groundbreaking Approach to Leading the Next Generation And Making Your Own Life Easier*, adding to her body of work on youth development and leadership.

## Works

* Queen Bees & Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boyfriends & Other Realities of Adolescence (2002), ISBN 1-4000-4792-7 ISBN 978-1400047925
* Queen Bee Moms & Kingpin Dads: Dealing with the Parents, Teachers, Coaches, and Counselors Who Can Make — or Break — Your Child's Future (2006), ISBN 1-4000-8300-1
* Owning Up Curriculum: Empowering Adolescents to Confront Social Cruelty, Bullying, and Injustice (2009), ISBN 0-87822-609-5 ISBN 978-0878226092
* Queen Bees & Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boyfriends, and the New Realities of Girl World, (2009), ISBN 0-307-45444-4 ISBN 978-0307454447
* Boys, Girls & Other Hazardous Materials (2010), Penguin Books ISBN 0-399-24796-3 ISBN 978-0399247965
* Masterminds and Wingmen: Helping Our Boys Cope with Schoolyard Power, Locker-Room Tests, Girlfriends, and the New Rules of Boy World (2013) ISBN 978-0-307-98665-8
* The Guide: Managing Douchebags, Recruiting Wingmen, and Attracting Who You Want (2013), ASIN B00EZB57QC
* Owning Up Curriculum (2020)
* Distance Learning Playbook for Parents: How to Support Your Child’s Academic, Emotional and Social Learning in Any Setting (2020), ISBN 978-1071838327
* Courageous Discomfort: How to have Brave, Life Changing Conversations about Race and Racism (August 2022) by Chronicle Books. Co-authored with Shanterra McBride, ISBN 978-1797215266