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.
- Associate Professor
- emily.slusser@sjsu.edu
- 408.924.3752
- Sweeney Hall (SH) 201
Faculty Directory
Janet Bang, Ph.D.
- Assistant Professor
- janet.bang@sjsu.edu
- Janet's Spotify playlist
Donna Bee-Gates, Ph.D.
- Lecturer
- donna.bee-gates@sjsu.edu
Sylvia Branca, Ph.D.
- Lecturer
- sylvia.branca@sjsu.edu
Toni Campbell, Ph.D.
- Professor
- toni.campbell@sjsu.edu
Krissy Connell
- Lecturer
- krissy.connell@sjsu.edu
Mary Conroy
- Lecturer
- mary.conroy@sjsu.edu
Tara Duffy
- Lecturer
- tara.duffy@sjsu.edu
Joy Foster
- Lecturer
- Director, Child Development Lab Preschool
- joy.foster@sjsu.edu
- Joy's Spotify playlist
Jessica Fraser
- Lecturer
- jessica.fraser@sjsu.edu
Maria Fusaro, Ed.D.
- Associate Professor
- Director, Early Childhood Institute
- maria.fusaro@sjsu.edu
- Maria's Spotify playlist
Dina Izenstark, Ph.D.
- Assistant Professor
- dina.izenstark@sjsu.edu
- Listen to Dina's Spotify playlist
John Jabagchourian, Ph.D.
- Lecturer
- john.jabagchourian@sjsu.edu
Roshini Joseph
- Lecturer
- roshini.joseph@sjsu.edu
Sudha Kaul, Ph.D
- Lecturer
- sudha.kaul@sjsu.edu
Janet Kitajima
- Lecturer
- janet.kitajima@sjsu.edu
Robin Love, Ph.D.
- Associate Professor
- robin.love@sjsu.edu
Cara Maffini, Ph.D.
- Associate Professor
- cara.maffini@sjsu.edu
- Cara's Spotify playlist
Jila Maleksalehi, Ed.D
Robert Marx, Ph.D.
- Assistant Professor
- robert.marx@sjsu.edu
- Twitter: @RbrtMrx
- Robert's Spotify playlist
Ravisha Mathur, Ph.D.
- Associate Professor
- ravisha.mathur@sjsu.edu
Mary McVey, Ph.D.
- Professor
- mary.mcvey@sjsu.edu
Danielle Mead, Ph.D.
- Assistant Professor
- danielle.mead@sjsu.edu
- Danielle's Spotify playlist
Ellen Middaugh, Ph.D.
- Associate Professor
- ellen.middaugh@sjsu.edu
- Twitter: @emiddaugh
- Ellen's Spotify playlist
Adam Nilsen
- Lecturer
- adam.nilsen@sjsu.edu
Teresa O'Donnell-Johnson, Ph.D.
- Lecturer
- Undergraduate Student Advisor
- teresa.o'donnell-johnson@sjsu.edu
Paula Oakes
- Lecturer
- paula.oakes@sjsu.edu
Jennifer Pearlman
- Lecturer
- jennifer.pearlman@sjsu.edu
Laura Pirazzi
- Lecturer
- Undergraduate Student Advisor
- laura.pirazzi@sjsu.edu
Amita Shah
- Lecturer
- amita.shah@sjsu.edu
Jamie Smith
- Lecturer
- jamie.smith@sjsu.edu
Maureen Smith, Ph.D.
Meghna Soni
- Lecturer
- meghna.soni@sjsu.edu
Nadia Sorkhabi, Ph.D.
- Professor
- Graduate Program Coordinator
- nadia.sorkhabi@sjsu.edu
- Nadia's Spotify playlist
Kim Tsai, Ph.D
- Assistant Professor
- kim.tsai@sjsu.edu
- Twitter: @drkimtsai
- Kim's Spotify playlist
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).
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.