Dave Caplan, PhD

Writer and Executive Producer Dave Caplan has enjoyed a 35-year career in prime-time television and feature films. He recently served as writer/Executive Producer and co-showrunner of the long-running ABC hit “The Conners,” as well as the acclaimed “Roseanne” revival, the highest-rated scripted show in a decade. Caplan has written and executive produced numerous other hits like “George Lopez,” “The Drew Carey Show”, FX series " Anger Management, TNT’s police/medical drama “Rizzoli and Isles” and the ‘90s cult hit “Dinosaurs.” Caplan has won numerous awards, including the Humanitas certificate and multiple Environmental Media Awards.  

He also holds a PhD in Psychology, focusing on media-related issues and specifically empathy and storytelling, from Fielding Graduate University. Caplan sits on the Advisory Board of Bridge Entertainment Labs, which aims to decrease toxic polarization through storytelling. A regular speaker at universities including USC Northwestern, and Cal State University at Northridge, Caplan has also been a featured speaker at many pro-social events such as Pluralism in Action, and New American Stories of Us, and organizations including The Impact Guild, Builders Movement, and Harmony Labs.