Ruth Friedman, Ph.D.
Director, Office of Child Care (OCC)
Ruth Friedman, Ph.D., is the director of ACF’s Office of Child Care. Dr. Friedman helped lead the early childhood agenda in the U.S. House of Representatives for more than a decade, writing and negotiating many federal laws and legislation, including bills on child care, Head Start, pre-k, and home visiting. She also helped lead efforts to improve laws on child abuse prevention and juvenile justice. She strived to improve child and family well-being through her work as a senior advisor and child and family policy consultant to dozens of policy and research organizations.
Prior to working for Congress, Friedman was a researcher and therapist, focusing on resiliency in children and families. She earned a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and an M.A. in public policy.
She is married to Pete Weber, and they have a son, Dylan.