Last updated 10/06/2023
Caroline Cicero, PhD, MSW, MPL, is pleased to be joining the USC Emeriti Center as Co-Director, alongside Dr. Janette Brown. Dr. Cicero also continues her work as an Instructional Associate Professor in the Leonard Davis School of Gerontology where she teaches undergraduate and masters level courses including Ethical Issues in Geriatric Care, Aging and Media, Introduction to Gerontology, Lifespan Developmental Sociology, and Social Policy and Aging. In 2022, she was named Professor of the Year by the Student Gerontology Association and received the 2022 Faculty Teaching Award at the Leonard Davis School of Gerontology commencement. Additionally, Caroline is the Director of the USC Age-Friendly University Initiative, part of the Age-Friendly University Global Network, and is eager to refresh its activities and campus working group. Dr. Cicero is a Co-Associate Editor of the Gerontological Society of America’s newsletter, Advancing Age-Inclusivity in Higher Education and recently ended four years serving on the American Society on Aging Public Policy Committee. Caroline is a trained USC Culture Network Facilitator and serves on the Misconduct Sanctioning Panel for the USC Office for Equity, Equal Opportunity, and Title IX. She is a member of the University Club, a grateful former patient from USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, and a current season football ticket holder.
Hailing from the Chicago area and graduating from Davidson College in North Carolina, Dr. Cicero is an alum of three USC graduate programs. She earned her PhD from the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, researching Falls and Fall Prevention under the mentorship of Dr. Jon Pynoos and Dr. Phoebe Liebig. Previously, she earned Masters in Social Work and Masters in Urban Planning at USC. As a gerontologist, social worker, and urban planner, she is committed to fighting ageism in society and making local communities better places to grow old. Prior to her teaching career, Caroline’s professional experience included senior care management and counseling at Jewish Family Services of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Caregiver Resource Center; affordable housing development at Los Angeles County Community Development Commission and Little Tokyo Service Center; and local policy planning at a private consulting firm. She has a certificate in Death Midwifery, for supporting patients and their caregivers at the end of life.
Caroline’s spouse, Craig Detweiler, PhD, MDiv, MFA is a USC Cinematic Arts alum. Her daughter Zoe is a USC masters student in Landscape Architecture + Urbanism and Historic Conservation. Her son Theo is a senior in college, but not at USC! In her time away from work, she enjoys creative pursuits including weaving, cooking, baking, and gardening as well as long walks on the beach and travel with family. Caroline looks forward to her new role supporting the work of the Emeriti Center and to meeting all of you.