Grace Telesco

Grace A. Telesco, Ph.D. is a Professor of Sociology, Social Work and Criminal Justice in Ft. Lauderdale. Dr. Telesco is a retired Lieutenant who served for 20 years with the NYPD and was the Chairperson of the Behavioral Science Department at the NYC Police Academy. Dr. Telesco has developed various educational programs at the university level utilizing sociodrama techniques and has presented on numerous topics related to social policy, crisis intervention, and disaster preparedness.

Following the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center, Dr. Telesco was appointed the Interagency Coordinator of Mental Health Services at the Family Assistance Center where families of the victims received crisis intervention and support. Following Hurricane Katrina, Dr. Telesco was deployed to New Orleans by the United States Department of Health and Human Services to be a part of the elite DTAC (Disaster Technical Assistance and Consultation) Team providing assistance to the Governor of Louisiana and the State Office of Mental Health.

Dr. Telesco is on the faculty at Nova Southeastern University in the School of Criminal Justice and has been teaching at the University level since 1991. Dr. Telesco is an accomplished researcher and author and is on the editorial board of the Journal of Police Crisis Negotiations.

Education

PhD, Fordham University

MA, John Jay College of Criminal Justice