Dr. James Dobson is the founder and president of the James Dobson Family Institute, a nonprofit organization that produces his daily national radio program, which is heard by over half a million listeners each week on over 1,300 stations and online. He holds a Ph.D. in child development and research design from the University of Southern California School of Medicine, and is the author of more than 30 books. Dr. Dobson served as an associate clinical professor of pediatrics at the University of Southern California School of Medicine for 14 years, and served on the attending staff of Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles for 17 years. He has advised five U.S. Presidents and served on eight national commissions. Dr. Dobson has been happily married to Shirley for sixty years, and together they have two grown children, Danae and Ryan, plus two grandchildren.
Shirley Dobson is nationally recognized for her leadership skills and for her many contributions to Christian organizations and other groups advocating for the family. She has received honorary doctorate degrees from Asbury Theological Seminary, Biola University, Huntington College and Dallas Baptist University. Mrs. Dobson was honored with the Christian Woman of the Year award in September 1992, and was designated Churchwoman of the Year in 1996 by Religious Heritage of America. Also in 1996, she received the Ambassador Award from Florida Family Council. In 1999 she received the Full-time Homemaker of the Year Award from Eagle Forum, and in 2000 the Distinguished Achievement Award from Point Loma Nazarene University. She was given the First Baptist Church of Dallas' W.A. Criswell Lifetime Christian Citizenship Award in 2006.
