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.

• 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

• December 2020 - "Supporting Students Wherever They Are In Their Journeys: Prof. Kyoung Mi Choi" on Flipboard

• December 2020 - Op-Ed "Getting it Right: Why It’s Important To Pronounce Kamala Harris’ and My Name Correctly" by Saili Kulkarni on Ms. Magazine

• October 2020 - Op-Ed "Critical Race Theory is Critical to Our Continued Understanding of Societal Injustice" by Saili Kulkarni on VISIBLE Magazine

• October 2020 - Op-Ed: "Online Special Ed—a Failure in the Making" by Jennifer Madigan on San Jose Inside

• October 2020 - OPINION: "Why we need a new generation of special education teachers" by Saili Kulkarni on The Hechinger Report

• October 2020 - "CA Prop 16: A Discussion w/ UCLA Alumni Experts" with María Ledesma on LA Social Science YouTube channel

• September 2020 - Opinion: "Give Voice to Those With Communication Disorders" by Nidhi Mahendra on Visible Magazine

• August 2020 - "2020 Back To School: Guide For Parents Struggling With Home Learning" by CBS SF Bay Area

Department Chairs & 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:

	Rebeca Burciaga, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Educational Leadership rebeca.burciaga@sjsu.edu
	Dolores DeHaro Mena, Ph.D. Professor, Counselor Education dolores.mena@sjsu.edu
	Peg Hughes, Ph.D. Professor, Special Education peg.hughes@sjsu.edu
	Nidhi Mahendra, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Communicative Disorders & Sciences nidhi.mahendra@sjsu.edu
	Bradley Porfilio, Ph.D. Professor, Ed.D Leadership Program bradley.porfilio@sjsu.edu
	Emily Slusser, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Child & Adolescent Development emily.slusser@sjsu.edu
	Patty Swanson, Ph.D. Professor, Teacher Education patricia.swanson@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 & Adolescent Development
    - Pei-Tzu Tsai, Ph.D. - Communicative Disorders & Sciences

• Faculty Scholarship & 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
    - Allison Briceño, Ed.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
    - Peg Hughes, Ph.D. - Special Education
    - Ellen Middaugh, Ph.D.- Child & Adolescent Development
    - Jean Novak, Ph.D. - Communicative Disorders & Sciences
    - Marcos Pizarro, Ph.D. - Dean's Office

• 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
    - Paul Cascella, Ph.D. - Communicative Disorders & Sciences
    - Jason Laker, Ph.D. - Counselor Education
    - Hyun-Sook Park, Ph.D. - Special Education
    - Marcos Pizarro, Ph.D. - Dean's Office
    - Brad Porfilio, Ph.D. - EdD Leadership
    - Grinell Smith, Ph.D. - Teacher Education
    - Nadia Sorkhabi, Ph.D. - Child & 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
    - Brent Duckor, Ph.D. - Teacher Education
    - Mei-Yan Lu, Ph.D. - Educational Leadership
    - Matthew Love, Ph.D. - Special Education
    - Danielle Mead, Ph.D. - Child & Adolescent Development
    - Marcos Pizarro, Ph.D. - Dean's Office
    - Wendy Quach, Ph.D. - Communicative Disorders & Sciences

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 & Communication

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

• Counseling, Health & Well Being

  • - Kyoung Mi Choi, Ph.D. - Counselor Education
    - Cara Maffini, Ph.D. - Child & Adolescent Development
    - Roxana Marachi, Ph.D. - Teacher Education
    - Robert Marx, Ph.D. - Child & Adolescent Development
    - Maureen Smith, Ph.D. - Child & Adolescent Development
    - Kim Tsai, Ph.D - Child & 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 & Adolescent Development
    - Pei-Tzu Tsai, Ph.D. - Communicative Disorders & Sciences

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

Meet our Lurie College Faculty

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