Faculty

ChAD faculty

In addition to being committed teachers, Child and Adolescent Development (ChAD) faculty members are active researchers whose work represents a broad range of interests across the discipline of child development. Our staff are focused on helping students achieve their goals.

Department Chair

Emily Slusser, Ph.D.

Faculty Directory

Janet Bang, Ph.D.

Donna Bee-Gates, Ph.D.

Sylvia Branca, Ph.D.

Toni Campbell, Ph.D.

Krissy Connell

Mary Conroy

Tara Duffy

Joy Foster

Jessica Fraser

Maria Fusaro, Ed.D.

Dina Izenstark, Ph.D.

John Jabagchourian, Ph.D.

Roshini Joseph

Sudha Kaul, Ph.D

Janet Kitajima

Robin Love, Ph.D.

Cara Maffini, Ph.D.

Jila Maleksalehi, Ed.D

Robert Marx, Ph.D.

Ravisha Mathur, Ph.D.

Mary McVey, Ph.D.

Danielle Mead, Ph.D.

Ellen Middaugh, Ph.D.

Adam Nilsen

Teresa O'Donnell-Johnson, Ph.D.

Paula Oakes

Jennifer Pearlman

Laura Pirazzi

Amita Shah

Jamie Smith

Maureen Smith, Ph.D.

Meghna Soni

Nadia Sorkhabi, Ph.D.

Kim Tsai, Ph.D

Recent Faculty Highlights

Dr. Maria Fusaro and Dr. Emily Slusser, as part of the SJSU Early Childhood Institute (ECI), cohosted the webinar "Centralizing Our Dual-Language Learners: The Power of the Family-School Partnership in Early Childhood Education" with Ana Marisol Sanchez and Cory Wechsler, Program Coordinators at the Sobrato Early Academic Language (SEAL).

Dina Izenstark

Dr. Dina Izenstark was quoted in the National Geographic article “Want better talks with your kids? Take them outside.”

“Nature restores people’s ability to pay attention to conversations and reduces their mental fatigue,” says Dina Izenstark, associate professor of child and adolescent development at San José State University and one of the authors of the 2021 study. “This can help family members communicate more effectively and get along better with one another.”

Dr. Robert Marx co-presented "Queering the Classroom to Foster a Safe and Inclusive Environment" as part of the SJSU Lurie College of Education K-12 Teaching Academy.

Dr. Jila Maleksalehi and Dr. Robert Marx co-organized the SJSU x REP4 Learner Design Summit, which convened high school, community college, and university students to to collaborate and design creative proposals to address existing challenges in the higher education system.

Dr. Ellen Middaugh was selected by the SJSU Office of Research and Innovation to receive the Early Career Investigator Award. Dr. Middaugh and her team of Student Research Assistants – George Franco, Kristen Huey, and Kristina Smith – research how youth utilize social media platforms to empower their voices, promote community and encourage civic engagement.  Watch the recognition video above that was shown during the SJSU Celebration of Research.