Edwin (“Ned”) Holstein (1943- )
Dr. Edwin "Ned" Holstein is a prominent figure in American family law and the family law reform movement. A physician by training, his personal experience with divorce sparked a decades-long mission to advocate for shared parenting and change the prevalent notion of maternal preference in child custody cases. In 1998, he founded National Parents Organization (NPO) (then called ‘Fathers and Families’), the nation’s leading shared parenting advocacy organization, which has led the successful effort to reform child custody laws to ensure that, even after parental separation, children continue to benefit from the active and equal involvement by both parents.
Dr. Holstein earned his B.A. from Harvard College, his Masters of Science from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and his M.D. from Mount Sinai School of Medicine. He is licensed to practice medicine in Massachusetts and certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Board of Preventive Medicine with a speciality in Occupational Medicine. He is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Environmental Sciences at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and in 1997 he founded Environmental Health Associates, which he served as the President of until 2020.
Through NPO, Holstein has pursued the goal of promoting shared parenting when parents are living separately through multiple channels. Legislative advocacy has been a crucial pillar, with NPO lobbying for changes in state laws to establish a preference for joint custody. In addition to legal changes, NPO has focused on public education to shift societal perceptions around fatherhood and the vital role fathers play in child development.
In his role as Chair of NPO, Holstein was a founding member of the International Council on Shared Parenting (ICSP), which works to promote shared parenting in countries around the world. Holstein was the organizer of one of the most significant global shared parenting conferences ever, the 2017 NPO/ICSP International Conference on Shared Parenting, which brought together leading researchers from around the world to share their work. The videos of that conference are available here.
Ned Holstein's impact on family law and the way we view post-separation parenting is significant. His tireless advocacy has shaped the legal landscape for countless families. Even for those who believe modifications or adjustments are needed, the shift towards equal consideration of both parents following divorce largely stems from the efforts of Holstein and organizations like National Parents Organization.
