Dr. Mary D. Giordano is a nationally-certified school psychiatrist, administrator, and educator celebrating more than 50 years of service to the students and community of the Providence Public School District. Initially training to become a nurse, Dr. Giordano was recruited to work in the Providence Public School District by a principal who helped convince her of the value of providing a high-quality and forward-looking education to all students. She began teaching in the district in 1967 while continuing her education, graduating from Amherst College with a Bachelor of Science in psychology and social science in 1968 and a Master of Education from Providence College in 1975. Promoted to assistant principal of Nathanael Greene Elementary School in 1976, she earned a Doctor of Philosophy in psychology at Walden University in 1979 and a Doctor of Education from Nova University in 1980. Through the 1980s, Dr. Giordano focused on providing counseling and behavioral health services, serving as a consulting counselor and dean of students at Hope High School, a position that also included administration of the school’s Rainbow Center.
During this time, Dr. Giordano expanded her support for behavioral health services to the community, working as district-level parenting skills and social work instructor and a chapter one coordinator and director for Crusade for Children. In 1992, she took the helm of the district’s gifted and talented program, spending the next two years as a hearing officer and intake coordinator before stepping down to focus on her role as principal at the Reservoir Annex School. As a part of her commitment to ongoing growth, Dr. Giordano completed an additional Bachelor of Science at Amherst College in 1994 and pursued nursing and educational science coursework at Salve Regina University.
Through the late 1990s, she continued to work at the school level as a guidance counselor, psychologist, and parent center director while holding administrative positions and serving as principal at numerous elementary schools. Between 2006 and 2009, Dr. Giordano was a psychologist at the Travares Center, returning to the Providence Public School District in 2010 as a principal administrator before moving into an educational coordinator and preschool coordinator role for New Era Enrichment Academy in 2013. She ended her educational career in 2018 as the principal of Providence Alternative High School, but hopes to remain active in the field.
Dr. Giordano is an in-demand lecturer and keynote speaker and the author of several books on child and youth psychology and trauma-informed counseling, including “Hidden Violence? Children Waking Up America” in 2008 and “The Walking Wounded” in 1995. She holds dozens of teaching and educational administration credentials, and is certified as a school psychologist, a parent educator, a nursing home and hospital administrator, and is board-certified in school crisis response. Dr. Giordano remains affiliated with the American Board of Psychological Specialties, the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, and the American Psychological Association, among others. In recognition of her career dedicated to her students and discipline, she has been the recipient of numerous awards and accolades, most recently a 2016 Jubilee Educator Award and a 2013 Educator Award from Hope High School, in addition to being named a Rhode Island Woman of Distinction and the Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce’s Woman of the Year. Dr. Giordano was named Women of the Year 2005 by the National Home Builders Association.
Dr. Giordano believes her life work is measured by the positive changes she has made to better the lives of others.