Molly Tierney's guest appearances

Molly Tierney

Female Trouble

Nurturing Well-Being with Kurt Kelly

Laura Lippman

Kate Wagner

Leana Wen

Lane Harlan

Donna Edwards

Maria Thompson

Jessica Anya Blau

Cara Ober

Ellen Lupton

Shawna Potter

Krystal Mack

Ramona S. Diaz

Spencer Hall

Wendy Osefo

Deana Haggag

OwlTail

In 2014, Molly Tierney gave a popular and provocative TEDxBaltimore Talk titled “Rethinking Foster Care,” which examined an unchecked loyalty to the idea of foster care and the flaws of intervention. As the director of the Baltimore City Department of Social Services, Molly manages the city’s child welfare and public assistance programs, and she came to the city with some creative ideas in tow. After seven years leading the agency, Molly left in February 2014 to join a New York-based management consulting firm. However, about 10 months later, she returned to the department of social services, and she discussed what has changed since she came back. Molly was involved in a controversial program that allowed some teens in foster care to get a high school diploma from a Christian school in Philadelphia in a single day, which ended amid questioning from The Baltimore Sun in 2013. She talked about that decision, as well as her upbringing, unconventional thinking and what she wishes she had had time to say in her TED Talk.

Molly Tierney, Baltimore City Department of Social Services director (episode 34)