Affiliate Faculty
Meet the SJSU faculty who provide their knowledge and expertise to support the HDCC through collaborative projects and partnerships with the clinic.
Assistant Professor
Child and Adolescent Development
Dr. Bang's research focuses on how children learn their first words and then put words
together! Her work is dedicated to understanding how families from diverse cultural-linguistic
backgrounds can support their children's early language and communication development
in their everyday interactions.
Associate Professor
Child and Adolescent Development
Dr. Izenstark is an applied, interdisciplinary scholar with a program of research
that explores how engagement in the natural environment positively influences youth
development and family relationships.
Dr. Ellen Middaugh (she/her)
Associate Professor, Interim Associate Dean
Child and Adolescent Development
Dr. Middaugh's research focuses on the influence of varied social contexts on youth
civic identity development and on the implications of digital media for positive youth
development.
Lecturer
Child and Adolescent Development
Dr. Shah is an experienced educator, author, and content developer with expertise
in teaching and curriculum development. She is also the Founder of Social Edge, an
organization that is dedicated to empowering parents to meet the social, emotional,
and cultural needs of their children.
Dr. Maureen Smith (she/her)
Professor
Child and Adolescent Development
Dr. Maureen Smith teaches courses in imagination, play, and creativity as well as
risk and resilience. Her research has three strands: (1) social and emotional development
in at-risk children; (2) academic identity development and self-concept in undergraduate
students; and (3) imagination and reading for pleasure.
Dr. Kim Tsai (she/her)
Associate Professor
Child and Adolescent Development
Dr. Kim Tsai's two intersecting areas of research include (1) examining how cultural
values contribute uniquely to family dynamics and (2) investigating cultural and familial
factors that impact adolescent emotional well-being and health, specifically their
sleep.
Dr. Marcella McCollum, CCC-SLP (she/her)
Assistant Professor
Communicative Disorders and Sciences
Marcella is a bilingual speech-language pathologist, undergraduate program coordinator,
and assistant professor. She strives to increase the diversity of the field of speech-language
pathology, as well as ensuring the students at all levels have access to culturally
sustaining and strong educational opportunities.
Lupe Ramirez-Steele, M.A., CCC-SLP (she/her/ella)
Lecturer
Communicative Disorders and Sciences
Lupe Ramirez-Steele has been a bilingual pediatric SLP for 20 years. She is a first
generation Mexican-American who specializes in the evaluation and treatment of speech/language
disorders in the English/Spanish speaking population.
Dr. Pei-Tzu Tsai, CCC-SLP (she/her)
Professor, Department Chair
Communicative Disorders and Sciences
Dr. Tsai's research focuses on linguistic-cultural aspects of stuttering and voice,
treatment effects, and clinical education. She is the clinical educator of the specialty
clinics, dedicated to stuttering and gender-affirming voice and communication at the
Kay Armstead Center for Communication Disorders.
Dr. Lisa Simpson (she/her)
Associate Professor, Department Chair
Special Education
Lisa A. Simpson, Ed.D., teaches courses in the Education Specialist credential and
Master’s degree programs. Her research interests are focused on the use of peer-mediated
interventions to improve academic and social outcomes for students with autism spectrum
disorders in inclusive settings.
Dr. Allison Briceño (she/her)
Associate Professor
Teacher Education
Dr. Briceño's research focuses on bilingual teacher preparation and how bilingual
students use all of their linguistic resources to understand text. Dr. Briceño’s recent
scholarship has appeared in Teacher Education Quarterly, International Multilingual
Research Journal, Reading Teacher, Language and Education, and Reading Psychology.
Dr. Matthew Capriotti (he/him)
Professor, HDCC Co-Founder
Psychology
Dr. Capriotti is a clinical psychologist with expertise in supporting children, adolescents,
and families around mental health and wellness. In addition to training the next generation
of mental health professionals, he conducts research on treatments for youth with
tic disorders such as Tourette Syndrome and on LGBTQ+ mental health.
Dr. Lesther A. Papa (he/him/siya/esuna)
Assistant Professor
Psychology
Dr. Papa's clinical work is focused on children and families with an emphasis on trauma
informed, evidence based treatments, using a cultural humility framework. Dr. Papa's
research involves the experiences of minoritized persons, specifically the impact
of microaggressions on mental health. He serves as a Program Specialist for the AANHPI
'Ohana Center of Excellence.
Dr. Yi Yuan
Assistant Professor
Audiology
Dr. Melisa Kaye (she/her)
Assistant Professor
Occupational Therapy
Melisa is an assistant professor and pediatric occupational therapist. She is dedicated
to educational and healthcare access and inclusion for all children, families, and
students. Melisa's research focuses on innovation in healthcare education, providing
equitable and culturally-humble education for underrepresented students, and fostering
resilience in vulnerable local communities.
Dr. Anji Buckner (she/her)
Assistant Professor
Public Health
Dr. Buckner is a public health teacher-scholar-practitioner with experience developing,
implementing, and evaluating community-based programs. Her scholarly interests explore
the intersection of public health and education, education and health policy, social
justice, and eliminating health disparities.
Dr. Miranda Worthen (she/her)
Professor
Public Health
Dr. Worthen is a core member of the SJSU Human Rights Institute. She teaches epidemiology
courses, qualitative research methods, and global health. Her research focus is at
the intersection of public health and social justice using mixed-methods participatory
action research approaches.
Professor
Social Work
Dr. Han is a professor and a co-chair of the Child Welfare Partnership for Training
and Research at the School of Social Work. Dr. Han's research focuses on mental health
issues, family violence including child maltreatment, and the impact of trauma, with
a special emphasis on Asian Americans.
Title IV-E Project Coordinator
Social Work
Amy is the Title IV-E Project Coordinator at the School of Social Work. Previously,
Amy worked as social worker with children, youth, and families involved in the child
welfare system. She has also worked at a university health center providing brief
therapy, crisis intervention, and case management to undergraduate and graduate students.
Amy's areas of interest include child maltreatment and prevention, intimate partner
violence, substance abuse, transition-aged youth, and intergenerational trauma.
Dr. Jennifer Schachner (she/her)
Director of Timpany Center
Dr. Jennifer Schachner is the Program & Operations Director of the Timpany Center
(a non profit therapeutic recreation facility managed in partnership with SJSU & Santa
Clara County). She is currently an activity instructor, and has taught courses in
stress management, kinesiology, adapted physical activity, and Taekwondo.
