Faculty, Leadership, & Research

Our Lurie College faculty are dedicated to teaching, scholarship, and service that is community engaged, culturally sustaining, interdisciplinary, and holistic and centered in transformative and emancipatory research and practices. Watch our most recent faculty research symposium above as an example and watch all of our symposia on our Lurie College blog.

• Meet our department chairs and program directors
• Learn about our faculty committees
• View our faculty research interest areas
• View the directory of our faculty and their research activity
• Read the latest Lurie College faculty news on our blog
• Read the Lurie College Strategic Plan and Annual Report
• View the current faculty job opportunities at SJSU

Recent Faculty Podcasts

Recent Lurie College Faculty In The News

• January 2022 - "The Invisibility of International LGBTQ+ Students on U.S. Campuses" by Kyoung Mi Choi in Visible Magazine

• December 2021 - "Distritos escolares de California podrían eliminar las calificaciones ‘D’ y ‘F’" by Univision featured Eduardo Muñoz-Muñoz

• November 2021 - "Collective Memory for Queer and Trans Liberation" by Robert Marx in Visible Magazine

• November 2021 - "Our Schools Are Not Equipped to Teach Transgender Students" by Robert Marx in Hechinger Report

• November 2021 - "Opinion: Use of underprepared special ed teachers harms children" by Lisa Simpson in the Mercury News

• October 2021 - "Manufactured boogeyman: Latino critical race theory pioneers, advocates push back" by NBC News quoted Dr. María Ledesma

• October 2021 - "What I Learned When I Came Out to My Asian Mother" by Dr. Kyoung Mi Choi in Yes! Magazine

• October 2021 - "Instagram and teens: How to keep your kids safe" by the Associated Press quoted Dr. Roxana Marachi

• September 2021 - "The post-pandemic future of college? It’s on campus and online." by the Washington Post quoted Dr. Nidhi Mahendra

• September 2021 - "Want better talks with your kids? Take them outside." by National Geographic quoted Dr. Dina Izenstark

• August 2021 - "How Can Educators and Parents Prepare for the K-12 School year? A QandA with Lara Ervin-Kassab" by Julia Halprin Jackson on the SJSU Newsroom blog.

• August 2021 - "Advancing Justice, Equity in the Pipeline to the Professions" by Dr. Nidhi Mahendra, Teresa Girolamo, and Danai Kasambira Fannin on ASHA Leader

• July 2021 - "Critical Race Theory: A Brief History" by the New York Times featured Dr. María Ledesma

Read more faculty news on the Lurie College blog.

Department Chairs and Program Directors

The Lurie College of Education Department Chairs and Program Directors are faculty members who serve in a leadership capacity to provide guidance and direction to the growth and development of each academic department and the college as a whole. The current department chairs and program directors are:

	Jason Laker Ph.D. Chair, Counselor Education jason.laker@sjsu.edu
	Lisa Simpson, Ed.D. Associate Professor, Special Education lisa.simpson@sjsu.edu
	María Ledesma, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Educational Leadership maria.ledesma@sjsu.edu
	Nidhi Mahendra, Ph.D. Professor, Communicative Disorders and Sciences nidhi.mahendra@sjsu.edu
	Ferdie Rivera Ph.D. Professor, EdD Leadership Program  ferdinand.rivera@sjsu.e
	Emily Slusser, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Child and Adolescent Development emily.slusser@sjsu.edu
	David Whitenack, Ph.D. Professor, Teacher Education david.whitenack@sjsu.edu

Faculty Committees

The Lurie College of Education, as a community of scholars and practitioners, believes firmly in the need for broad-based, inclusive college governance. This belief is actualized in the use of the standing committees listed below as well as numerous ad hoc committees that are formed throughout the academic year.

• Curriculum Committee

  • The Curriculum Committee provides a forum for faculty, administrators, and students in which discussion and decision-making takes place regarding the content, design, delivery and evaluation of the curriculum.

    Current Committee Members

    - Kyoung Mi Choi, Ph.D. - Counselor Education
    - María Ledesma, Ph.D. - Educational Leadership
    - Marcos Pizarro, Ph.D. - Dean's Office
    - Luis Poza, Ph.D. - Teacher Education
    - Mantra Roy, Ph.D. - MLK Library
    - Lisa Simpson, Ed.D. - Special Education
    - Nadia Sorkhabi, Ph.D. - Child and Adolescent Development

• Faculty Scholarship and Research Committee

  • The purpose of this committee is to promote an intellectual community of scholars, encourage, and support professional development activities in the College; encourage and support faculty scholarship; coordinate the distribution of University Lottery funding, and handle, coordinate, and supervise special projects for the College that add to the overall purpose of the Committee.

    Current Committee Members

    - Katya Aguilar, Ph.D. - Teacher Education
    - Arnold Danzig, Ph.D. - Educational Leadership
    - Dolores Deharo Mena, Ph.D. - Counselor Education
    - Mark Felton, Ph.D. - Faculty Associate Dean for Reasearch
    - Saili Kulkarni, Ph.D. - Special Education
    - Marcos Pizarro, Ph.D. - Dean's Office
    - Kim Tsai, Ph.D. - Child and Adolescent Development
    - Pei-Tzu Tsai, Ph.D. - Communicative Disorders and Sciences

• Personnel Committee

  • The Personnel Committee oversees the College’s participation in retention, tenure, and promotion activities, making specific recommendations on academic personnel actions to the College Dean and University community.

    Current Committee Members

    - Peg Hughes, Ph.D. - Special Education
    - Jason Laker, Ph.D. - Counselor Education
    - Brad Porfilio, Ph.D. - Educational Leadership
    - Wendy Quach, Ph.D. - Communicative Disorders and Sciences
    - Grinell Smith, Ph.D. - Teacher Education
    - Maureen Smith, Ph.D. - Child and Adolescent Development

• Student Research and Scholarship Committee

  • The Student Research and Scholarships Committee oversees the granting of Student Scholarships and Research awards, reviewing applications, evaluating student research and grant proposals and making specific recommendations to the Dean and Council of Chairs.

    Current Committee Members

    - Lorri Capizzi, Ed.D. - Counselor Education
    - Mei-Yan Lu, Ph.D. - Educational Leadership
    - Matthew Love, Ph.D. - Special Education
    - Danielle Mead, Ph.D. - Child and Adolescent Development
    - Marcos Pizarro, Ph.D. - Dean's Office
    - Luis Poza, Ph.D. - Teacher Education

Faculty Research Interest Areas

Our faculty members' research interest areas and collaborations span across our 7 academic departments. Learn more about our faculy experts in each of the interest areas below.

• Cognition and Communication

  • - Katya Aguilar, Ph.D. - Teacher Education
    - Janet Bang, Ph.D. - Child and Adolescent Development
    - Allison Briceño, Ed.D. - Teacher Education
    - Paul Cascella, Ph.D. - Communicative Disorders and Sciences
    - Mark Felton, Ph.D. - Teacher Education
    - Maria Fusaro, Ed.D. - Child and Adolescent Development
    - Nidhi Mahendra, Ph.D. - Communicative Disorders and Sciences
    - Marcella McCollum, Ed.D. - Communicative Disorders and Sciences
    - Ralph McKay, Ed.D. - Teacher Education
    - Danielle Mead, Ph.D. - Child and Adolescent Development
    - Wendy Quach, Ph.D. - Communicative Disorders and Sciences
    - Emily Slusser, Ph.D. - Child and Adolescent Development
    - Pei-Tzu Tsai, Ph.D. - Communicative Disorders and Sciences

• Counseling, Health and Well Being

  • - Lorri Capizzi, Ed.D. - Counselor Education
    - Kyoung Mi Choi, Ph.D. - Counselor Education
    - Kara Ireland D'Ambrosio, D.M.A. - Teacher Education
    - Amna Jaffer - Counselor Education
    - Cara Maffini, Ph.D. - Child and Adolescent Development
    - Roxana Marachi, Ph.D. - Teacher Education
    - Robert Marx, Ph.D. - Child and Adolescent Development
    - Maureen Smith, Ph.D. - Child and Adolescent Development
    - Kim Tsai, Ph.D - Child and Adolescent Development
    - Aubrey Uresti, Ph.D. - Counselor Education

• Gender Studies

  • - Kyoung Mi Choi, Ph.D. - Counselor Education
    - Jason Laker, Ph.D. - Counselor Education
    - Robert Marx, Ph.D. - Child and Adolescent Development
    - Pei-Tzu Tsai, Ph.D. - Communicative Disorders and Sciences

• Inclusion and (Dis)ability Studies
  • - Janet Bang, Ph.D. - Child and Adolescent Development
    - Paul Cascella, Ph.D. - Communicative Disorders and Sciences
    - Andrea Golloher, Ph.D. - Special Education
    - Peg Hughes, Ph.D. - Special Education
    - Kara Ireland D'Ambrosio, D.M.A. - Teacher Education
    - Sudha Krishnan, Ed.D. - Special Education
    - Saili Kulkarni, Ph.D. - Special Education
    - Matthew Love, Ph.D. - Special Education
    - Jennifer Madigan, Ed.D. - Special Education and Teacher Education
    - Danielle Mead, Ph.D. - Child and Adolescent Development
    - Wendy Quach, Ph.D. - Communicative Disorders and Sciences
    - Lisa Simpson, Ed.D. - Special Education
• Learning, Assessment and Teaching
  • - Katya Aguilar, Ph.D. - Teacher Education
    - Jolynn Asato, Ph.D. - Teacher Education
    - Paul Cascella, Ph.D. - Communicative Disorders and Sciences
    - Brent Duckor, Ph.D. - Teacher Education
    - Lara Ervin-Kassab, Ed.D. - Teacher Education
    - Mark Felton, Ph.D. - Teacher Education
    - Kara Ireland D'Ambrosio, D.M.A. - Teacher Education
    - Roxana Marachi, Ph.D. - Teacher Education
    - Eduardo Muñoz-Muñoz, Ph.D. - Teacher Education
    - Luis Poza, Ph.D. - Teacher Education
    - Colette Rabin, Ph.D. - Teacher Education
    - Lisa Simpson, Ed.D. - Special Education
    - Grinell Smith, Ph.D. - Teacher Education
    - Tammie Visintainer, Ph.D. - Teacher Education
    - David Whitenack, Ph.D. - Teacher Education
• Leadership and Change
  • - Rebeca Burciaga, Ph.D. - Educational Leadership
    - Arnold Danzig, Ph.D. - Educational Leadership
    - Veneice Guillory-Lacy, Ph.D. - Educational Leadership
    - Amna Jaffer - Counselor Education
    - Ralph McKay, Ed.D. - Teacher Education
    
• Parenting, Family and Early Childhood
  • - Janet Bang, Ph.D. - Child and Adolescent Development
    - Maria Fusaro, Ed.D. - Child and Adolescent Development
    - Peg Hughes, Ph.D. - Special Education
    - Dina Izenstark, Ph.D. - Child and Adolescent Development
    - Wendy Quach, Ph.D. - Communicative Disorders and Sciences
    - Emily Slusser, Ph.D. - Child and Adolescent Development
    - Nadia Sorkhabi, Ph.D. - Child and Adolescent Development
    - Maureen Smith, Ph.D. - Child and Adolescent Development
    - Aubrey Uresti, Ph.D. - Counselor Education
• Professional Learning and Practice
  • - Allison Briceño, Ed.D. - Teacher Education
    - Paul Cascella, Ph.D. - Communicative Disorders and Sciences
    - Brent Duckor, Ph.D. - Teacher Education
    - Mark Felton, Ph.D. - Teacher Education
    - Andrea Golloher, Ph.D. - Special Education
    - Amna Jaffer - Counselor Education
    - Saili Kulkarni, Ph.D. - Special Education
    - Jennifer Madigan, Ed.D. - Special Education and Teacher Education
    - Ralph McKay, Ed.D. - Teacher Education
    - Wendy Quach, Ph.D. - Communicative Disorders and Sciences
    - Colette Rabin, Ph.D. - Teacher Education
    - Lisa Simpson, Ed.D. - Special Education
    - Grinell Smith, Ph.D. - Teacher Education
    - Tammie Visintainer, Ph.D. - Teacher Education
    - David Whitenack, Ph.D. - Teacher Education
    
• Race, Language and Culture
  • - Katya Aguilar, Ph.D. - Teacher Education
    - Jolynn Asato, Ph.D. - Teacher Education
    - Allison Briceño, Ed.D. - Teacher Education
    - Rebeca Burciaga, Ph.D. - Educational Leadership
    - Veneice Guillory-Lacy, Ph.D. - Educational Leadership
    - Kara Ireland D'Ambrosio, D.M.A. - Teacher Education
    - Saili Kulkarni, Ph.D. - Special Education
    - Cara Maffini, Ph.D. - Child and Adolescent Development
    - Nidhi Mahendra, Ph.D. - Communicative Disorders and Sciences
    - Marcella McCollum, Ed.D. - Communicative Disorders and Sciences
    - Eduardo Muñoz-Muñoz, Ph.D. - Teacher Education
    - Luis Poza, Ph.D. - Teacher Education
    - Wendy Quach, Ph.D. - Communicative Disorders and Sciences
    - Rosalinda Quintanar-Sarellana, Ph.D. - Teacher Education
    - Kim Tsai, Ph.D - Child and Adolescent Development
    - Tammie Visintainer, Ph.D. - Teacher Education
    - David Whitenack, Ph.D. - Teacher Education
    
• Social and Emotional Learning
  • - Kyoung Mi Choi, Ph.D. - Counselor Education
    - Kara Ireland D'Ambrosio, D.M.A. - Teacher Education
    - Dina Izenstark, Ph.D. - Child and Adolescent Development
    - Amna Jaffer - Counselor Education
    - Cara Maffini, Ph.D. - Child and Adolescent Development
    - Roxana Marachi, Ph.D. - Teacher Education
    - Robert Marx, Ph.D. - Child and Adolescent Development
    - Colette Rabin, Ph.D. - Teacher Education
    - Grinell Smith, Ph.D. - Teacher Education
    - Maureen Smith, Ph.D. - Child and Adolescent Development
    - Aubrey Uresti, Ph.D. - Counselor Education
• Technology, Innovation and Education
  • - Andrea Golloher, Ph.D. - Special Education
    - Lara Ervin-Kassab, Ed.D. - Teacher Education
    - Matthew Love, Ph.D. - Special Education
    - Ellen Middaugh, Ph.D. - Child and Adolescent Development
    - Wendy Quach, Ph.D. - Communicative Disorders and Sciences
• Youth Culture and Identity
  • - Jolynn Asato, Ph.D. - Teacher Education
    - Veneice Guillory-Lacy, Ph.D. - Educational Leadership
    - Sudha Krishnan, Ed.D. - Special Education
    - Jason Laker, Ph.D. - Counselor Education
    - Cara Maffini, Ph.D. - Child and Adolescent Development
    - Robert Marx, Ph.D. - Child and Adolescent Development
    - Ellen Middaugh, Ph.D. - Child and Adolescent Development
    - Nadia Sorkhabi, Ph.D. - Child and Adolescent Development
    - Kim Tsai, Ph.D - Child and Adolescent Development
    - Aubrey Uresti, Ph.D. - Counselor Education

Meet our Lurie College Faculty