In July 1998, Saf Caruso was appointed the first Executive Director of the DCF Kids Fund (then called DSS Kids Fund) by then Commissioner Linda Carlisle. Saf felt honored and privileged to serve in this role until she retired at age 70 in 2015. Saf created the DCF Kids Fund’s major programs, worked with hundreds of companies, foundations and individuals, and along with the DCF Kids Fund Board raised some $23 million dollars to benefit the children the Department serves. From 1986 until 1998, Saf served in the DCF Office of Public Affairs and in 1989, was awarded the Manuel Carballo Award, the highest award in state government. From 1974 to 1986, Saf was a pioneer in the field of parenting, teaching positive parenting and leadership training workshops across the country. During this period, she authored the published book, “Parent Awareness: Positive Parenting for the 1980s” and the published “Responsive Parenting Program” — a group experience that teaches positive approaches to child rearing, with parenting booklets and leader’s manual. Saf’s weekly parenting advice column was first syndicated by the Washington Post Writer’s Group and then by the Associated Press and ran in over 40 newspapers across America. In these years, she appeared regularly on programs such as WCVB-TV’s “Good Day” show to offer parenting tips. From 1970 to 1974, Saf taught child development classes at several local junior colleges and from 1967 to 1970, she taught pre-kindergarten in the Boston Public Schools. Saf received her Bachelor’s Degree from Brandeis University and her Masters of Science in Education Degree from Wheelock College. Saf has been very grateful to spend her career working on behalf of children. She says her personal and professional goals can be summed up in these words: “To Create a Better Life for Children and Those Who Raise Them.”
