Dr. Padma Venkatraman is the author of The Bridge Home (2019), which secured eight starred reviews, was a global read aloud, and won numerous awards, including the Walter Dean Myers Award, South Asia Book Award, Golden Kite Award, and Crystal Kite Award. Described by the New York Times as “gorgeous storytelling,” the book was also on a list curated by librarians Colby Sharp and Matthew Winner for The Today Show. Before becoming a full-time author, Dr. Venkatraman obtained a doctorate in oceanography from the College of William and Mary, conducted research at Johns Hopkins University, and directed diversity efforts at the University of Rhode Island’s graduate school.