Robert Ackerman is a Professor of Sociology and Director of the Mid-Atlantic Addiction Training Institute (MAATI) at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) and a cofounder of the National Association for Children of Alcoholics (NACoA). Best known for writing the first book in the United States on children of alcoholics in 1978, Dr. Ackerman has become internationally known for his work with families and children of all ages, served on many advisory boards and worked with numerous government agencies and task forces. He is a veteran of numerous TV appearances and has been featured on CNN Headline News, the Today Show, and in USA Today newspaper and Newsweek Magazine.