Affiliate Faculty

Meet the SJSU faculty who provide their knowledge and expertise to support the HDCC through collaborative projects and leading programs at the clinic.

Dr. Jacqueline Bergman

Dr. Jacqueline Bergman (she/her)

Nutrition Workshops, Research

Nutrition, Food Science, and Packaging

With a focus on the interplay of psychosocial factors and health behaviors within marginalized communities, Dr. Bergman's research aims to employ a community-based participatory research approach to develop tailored programs and resources. By understanding and addressing these complex dynamics, the ultimate goal is to empower these groups with culturally-sensitive interventions that promote holistic health and well-being.

Dr. Robert Marx

Dr. Robert Marx (they/them, he/him)

Core Identity Program

Child and Adolescent Development

Dr. Robert Marx’s community-engaged research and practice focus on reframing dominant visions of queer and trans young people, so that they are no longer viewed as damaged or at-risk, but rather as the gifted, complex people they are. Dr. Marx deploys a variety of research methods, including critical youth participatory action research and meta-analysis, to better understand and promote marginalized youth’s development. In their work with the HDCC, Dr. Marx hopes to encourage young people to see themselves as producers of knowledge and change agents.

Dr. Janet Bang

Dr. Janet Bang (she/her)

Helping Young Children with Early Vocabulary Skills and Feelings of Frustration

Child and Adolescent Development

Dr. Bang's research focuses on how children learn their first words and then put words together! Her work includes families from neurodiverse backgrounds and diverse language/sociocultural backgrounds such as English-, French-, and Spanish-speaking families in the U.S. and Canada. Through her research and teaching she is dedicated to working together with families and educators to support an understanding of multiple pathways for children's development.

Dr. Amita Roy Shah

Dr. Amita Roy Shah (she/her)

Parenting Resources

Child and Adolescent Development

Dr. Shah is an experienced educator, author, and content developer with expertise in teaching and curriculum development. She is a senior lecturer in the Department of Child and Adolescence at San Jose State University. 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.

Cynthia Van Laar

Cynthia Van Laar., CCC-SLP (she/her/ella) - Hablo español

Faculty/Director of Clinical Education

Communication Disorders and Sciences

Cynthia Van Laar acts as the Director of Clinical Education for the Center for Communicative Disorders and Sciences Department at San Jose State University. In this role, she oversees the Kay Armstead Center for Communicative Disorders (KACCD). Cynthia possesses over 20 years of experience working as a licensed and certificated speech-language pathologist. In 2017, she won the San Andreas Regional Center's award for Outstanding Community Service.

Dr. Kim Tsai

Dr. Kim Tsai (she/her)

Family Resources

Child and Adolescent Development

Dr. Kim Tsai's program of research centers on family influences on adolescent psychosocial adjustment and health. Her two intersecting areas of research include (1) examining how cultural values contribute uniquely to family dynamics for adolescents from ethnic minority and immigrant families and (2) investigating cultural and familial factors that impact adolescent emotional well-being and health, specifically their sleep.

Lupe Ramirez-Steele (she/her/ella)

Lupe Ramirez-Steele, M.A., CCC-SLP (she/her/ella) - Hablo español

Faculty/Clinical Supervisor

Communication Disorders and Sciences

Lupe Ramirez-Steele is a bilingual pediatric SLP, a first generation Mexican-American who provides services to the Spanish speaking population. Lupe is a private practitioner and part-time faculty at San Jose State University. She specializes in the evaluation and treatment of speech/language disorders in the English/Spanish speaking population. She is celebrating her 20th year as a pediatric bilingual clinician this year and is excited to share the wonderful work that the HDCC is doing.

Courtney Boitano

Dr. Courtney Boitano (she/her)

OTD Supervisor, Faculty Partner

Occupational Therapy

Dr. Boitano is a faculty member at SJSU teaching in the occupational therapy masters and doctorate (OTD) program. As an occupational therapist, she has over 15 years experience working in a variety of pediatric settings and school based practice. Her clinical practice focuses on children with developmental disorders and parent support. Dr. Boitano is delighted to be a faculty partner with HDCC to fuse family centered care approaches across disciplines for families as well as SJSU students.

Dr. Pei-Tzu Tsai, CCC-SLP (she/her)

Dr. Pei-Tzu Tsai, CCC-SLP (she/her)

Faculty Partner

Communication Disorders and Sciences

Dr. Tsai is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences. Her 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. Ellen Middaugh

Dr. Ellen Middaugh

Faculty Partner

Child and Adolescent Development

Dr. Middaugh is an Assistant Professor of Child and Adolescent Development in the Lurie College of Education at San José State University. Her 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.

Dr. Lesther Papa

Dr. Lesther A. Papa (He/Him/Siya/Esuna)

Faculty Partner

Psychology

Dr. Papa is an assistant professor of psychology at San José State University’s (SJSU) Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. His 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.

SJSU spirit mark

Dr. Zachary McNiece

Li Shen (Jesslyn) Chong

Dr. Li Shen (Jesslyn) Chong (she/her) - Speaks English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Malay, & Hakka

Faculty Partner

Psychology

Dr. Li Shen (Jesslyn) Chong's research utilizes a biopsychosocial and community-based participatory research approach to understand how life adversities and stress response systems influence the risk of socio-emotional and health problems and racial/ethnic health disparities. The goal of her research is to inform and optimize interventions. She also pursues research on professional issues in health service psychology training. Clinically, Dr. Chong provides evidence-based treatment for children and adolescents in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese.

Dr. Meekyung Han (she/her)

Dr. Meekyung Han (she/her) - speaks Korean

Faculty Partner

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. Her academic pursuits are deeply rooted in community engagement and the Transcultural Perspective framework, which prioritizes diversity, human well-being, and social justice. Dr. Han is excited to join with the HDCC as a faculty partner to address mental health disparities.