Our People

Executive Director, UC|CSU Collaborative for Neuroscience, Diversity, and Learning

Alison Yoshimoto-Towery has served for over thirty years as a teacher, principal, director, and chief academic officer for the Los Angeles Unified School District, and has served on numerous local, state, and national working groups. She also serves as a member of the California State Board of Education and is concurrently the Executive Director of the California Institute of Law, Neuroscience, and Education at UCLA.

Faculty Director, UC|CSU Collaborative for Neuroscience, Diversity, and Learning; Associate Professor, UCLA School of Education and Information Studies

Dr. Jennie Grammer studies how experiences in school shape students’ cognitive development and learning, drawing on methods from developmental psychology, education, and neuroscience, she focuses on processes — including executive functioning, self-regulation, attention, memory, and metacognition — that play an important role in academic growth and social interactions in school.

Chair and Professor, Department of Special Education, CSU Dominguez Hills

Dr. M.C. Kate Esposito conducts and publishes research in the areas of teacher preparation and inclusive practices. Prior to joining the faculty at CSU Dominguez Hills, she served as a Resource Specialist and Educational Therapist at both public and non-public schools.

Wasserman Dean of UCLA School of Education and Information Studies and UCLA Education Professor of Social Research Methodology

Dr. Tina Christie is an internationally recognized scholar whose work focuses on understanding evaluation as a method for facilitating social betterment. As part of this work, she has developed studies to advance the theories and methods used to measure educational, social, and behavioral changes that result from program innovation and reform efforts.

Assistant Vice Chancellor, Educator and Leadership Programs at California State University

Dr. Shireen Pavri advocates for teacher education at the state and national levels and supports campuses in achieving equity and excellence in educator preparation. Along with her team, she coordinates the CSU’s contributions to PK-12 reform and supports the academic preparation of PK-12 students to ensure they are prepared for college success.

Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at California State University Dominguez Hills

Dr. Michael Spagna is a longtime member of the CSU community, and he is committed to CSU Dominguez Hill’s collective mission of improving student success and ensuring access for the underserved and diverse communities they serve. In collaboration with the Academic Senate and other stakeholders, he strives for high quality in teaching, scholarship, creative activities, and service for faculty and academic programs.

Associate Dean of Public Engagement at UCLA School of Education and Information Studies

Dr. Annamarie Francois is an esteemed teacher educator and organizational leader whose commissions ignite equity-focused “good trouble” to engage, inform, and influence PK-16 education research, policy, and practice. She represents UCLA SEIS in local, state, and national conversations that spur educational equity, innovation, and evidence-based practice. Her public scholarship, teaching, and service contribute significantly to educator development, organizational leadership, and transformative partnerships.

Associate Project Scientist, UC|CSU Collaborative for Neuroscience, Diversity, and Learning

Dr. Julie Schneider is an Associate Project Scientist with the UC|CSU Collaborative for Neuroscience, Diversity, and Learning. Prior to this, she was an Assistant Professor at Louisiana State University. She completed her Ph.D. in Psychology at the University of Texas at Dallas, followed by an NSF-funded post-doctoral fellowship in Cognitive Science at the University of Delaware. Julie’s research examines how neurobiological and environmental influences interact to impact children’s individual paths to learning. By identifying factors that benefit a child’s ability to learn and grow, she believes that we can start to elicit positive change in the education system and in our communities.

Graduate Student Researcher, UC|CSU Collaborative for Neuroscience, Diversity, and Learning

Kyle Chasen Hay is a current doctoral candidate, and graduate student researcher, at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) under the supervision of Dr. Jennie Grammer in the Human Development and Psychology division of the Department of Education. His research interests include cognitive control, neurodiverse teenagers executive function abilities, and how mathematics and anxiety intersect to impact students in the classroom. Before attending UCLA, Kyle worked as a special education teacher in Los Angeles.

Graduate Student Researcher, UC|CSU Collaborative for Neuroscience, Diversity, and Learning

Zoe Mao’s research centers on exploring the impact of educational factors on children’s cognitive and self-regulation skills. She works with both neurodiverse and typically developing students across early childhood and elementary school stages, as well as teachers and children from diverse cultural backgrounds.

Assistant Project Scientist, UCLA California Institute for Law, Neuroscience, and Education and UC|CSU Collaborative for Neuroscience, Diversity, and Learning

Dr. Kathy Do is an Assistant Project Scientist with the UCLA California Institute for Law, Neuroscience, and Education, as well as the UC|CSU Collaborative for Neuroscience, Diversity, and Learning. She earned her Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, where she also completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Computational Cognitive Science. Dr. Do’s research examines the role of brain development, motivation, and social context in shaping how adolescents learn, make decisions, and develop healthy behaviors and relationships. As a developmental cognitive neuroscientist, she seeks to leverage our understanding of the developing brain to inform programs, interventions, and policies that can help youth thrive in their communities.

Admin and Operations Specialist

Vivian is the Admin and Operations Specialist for the UC|CSU Collaborative for Neuroscience, Diversity, and Learning. Vivian is an LA native and obtained her B.A. in International Business at UC San Diego. Her background is in People Operations and Project Management in the private sector, and her goal with the UC|CSU Collaborative is to build and streamline workflows to enable the team to do their best work.

Digital and Social Media Manager, UC|CSU Collaborative for Neuroscience, Diversity, and Learning

Katie Bellman is the Digital and Social Media Manager for the UC|CSU Collaborative for Neuroscience, Diversity, and Learning. She obtained a B.A. in Communications and a minor in Gender and Women’s Studies at California State University, Northridge. Her goal is to share resources and important information in a way that is easily accessible and widespread, putting it into the hands of those who need it.

Director of Policy, Philanthropy, and Partnerships; Director, Senior Fellows Program, UC|CSU Collaborative for Neuroscience, Diversity, and Learning

Patrick Brennan is the Director of Policy, Philanthropy, and Partnerships for the Collaborative and oversees the UC|CSU Collaborative for Neuroscience, Diversity, and Learning’s Senior Fellows Program. He was the lead author of the legislative proposal that ultimately led to the launch of UC San Francisco’s Multitudes, a free, digital, literacy screening tool to aid in the early identification of students K-3 who face challenges learning to read.

Program Manager of Public Engagement and Policy Programs, UC|CSU Collaborative for Neuroscience, Diversity, and Learning

Megan Valladao Thomas is the Program Manager for Public Engagement and Policy Programs for the UC|CSU Collaborative for Neuroscience, Diversity, and Learning. Megan obtained her B.A. in Political Science from the University of California, Irvine. She received her M.Ed. in Social Foundations of Educational Psychology from the University of Virginia. Megan’s professional interests include student advocacy and education policy.

Professor, Department of Elementary Education, California State University, Northridge

Dr. Renee Ziolkowska is a Professor in the Department of Elementary Education in the Michael D. Eisner College of Education at California State University, Northridge. Her research focuses on students who struggle with reading. As a former elementary teacher and middle school reading specialist, she worked with many students who encountered difficulties with reading. She has published articles on this topic. Dr. Ziolkowska’s other projects include integrating technology into the elementary classroom, promoting authentic writing and, more recently, infusing social justice children’s literature into the curriculum, with a focus on equity.

Co-Faculty Director, Dyslexia Team, UC|CSU Collaborative for Neuroscience, Diversity, and Learning; Director, UCLA Center for Dyslexia, Diverse Learners, and Social Justice

Dr. Maryanne Wolf is an advocate for children and literacy around the world. She is the author of: Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain (2007); Tales of Literacy for the 21st Century (2016); and Reader, Come Home: The Reading Brain in a Digital World (2018). She has received the highest honors from the International Dyslexia Association and recently was appointed to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences.

Co-Faculty Director, Dyslexia Team, UC|CSU Collaborative for Neuroscience, Diversity, and Learning; Professor, Department of Special Education, CSU Northridge

Dr. Sue Sears’ research focuses on the areas of teacher education and literacy. She has received multiple special education personnel preparation grants and most recently was Co-Director of a federally funded adolescent literacy model/demonstration project. At CSU Northridge, Dr. Sears is Director of the Teaching, Learning, and Counseling Consortium, a multidisciplinary clinic that provides low-cost assessment, literacy tutoring, and counseling to local schools and families.

Professor, Department of Special Education and Counseling, California State University, Los Angeles

Ya-Chih Chang, Ph.D., is a Professor at California State University, Los Angeles. Her research focuses on evidence-based interventions for young children with autism spectrum disorders and other developmental disabilities, including collaboration and implementation of evidence-based strategies with community partners, teachers, and families in diverse and underserved communities.

Professor, Department of Special Education, California State University, Northridge

Dr. Rachel Friedman Narr is a Professor at California State University, Northridge in the Department of Special Education. Her research has centered on reading practices with deaf students. Dr. Friedman Narr teaches a foundational reading instructional methods course in special education and deaf education methods courses in the teacher preparation program. She also teaches M.A. level educational research courses.

Associate Professor, Department of Special Education, California State University, Northridge

Vanessa Goodwin, Ph.D., has spent much of her career working with adolescent struggling readers, both as a special education teacher and teacher educator. Through the LA Intervention Project, Dr. Goodwin has co-created and trained secondary general and special education teachers on evidence-based practices that have demonstrated gains for struggling readers. She directs the Special Education Literacy Clinic in the Teaching, Learning and Counseling Consortium (TLCC) at California State University, Northridge, providing low-cost services to community children with reading difficulties, including dyslexia.

Assistant Researcher, Center for Dyslexia, Diverse Learners and Social Justice, University of California, Los Angeles

Dr. Rebecca Gotlieb is an Assistant Researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles Center for Dyslexia, Diverse Learners and Social Justice. She completed her Ph.D. at the University of Southern California in the Center for Affective Neuroscience, Development, Learning, and Education. Her research focuses on individual differences in social, emotional, cognitive, and brain development from early childhood through adolescence and young adulthood with implications for education. She is particularly interested in the coordinated growth of literacy and social-emotional skills.

Assistant Professor, Department of Elementary Education, California State University Northridge

Dr. Dominic Grasso’s research areas include literacy and reading teacher education, the use of literacy as a tool for social justice, and inclusive teacher education with special emphasis on anti-racist teacher education and LGBTQ-inclusive curricular and literacy practices. Prior to joining California State University, Northridge, Dr. Grasso worked in a variety of educational settings, including as an Adjunct Professor at Florida Atlantic University, and as a Literacy Curriculum Specialist for the School District of Palm Beach County. Dr. Grasso has extensive experience with a variety of literacy applications in both early childhood and elementary school settings.

Assistant Professor, College of Education, Department of Special Education, California Stater University, Dominguez Hills

Kai Greene, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, is a nationally certified speech-language pathologist and Assistant Professor at California State University, Dominguez Hills, College of Education: Department of Special Education. His research interests center around dual language learning and special education, along with related issues specific to diagnostic assessment and instructional intervention. He has over four decades of experience working in diverse school settings where his curiosity to learn and better understand how teachers teach and students learn continues.

Interim Director for the College of Education Student Success Center, California State University, Dominguez Hills

Dr. Laurie Inman is the Interim Director for the College of Education Student Success Center at California State University, Dominguez Hills after leading the Liberal Studies department for the past four years. Her experience before joining the university includes teaching in grades K-4, public and charter school administration, district level leadership in curriculum and instruction, and 12 years as a Senior Literacy Coach and Consultant working with several Southern California school districts. She earned her doctorate from the University of Southern California.

Administrative Coordinator, UC/CSU Collaborative for Neurodiversity and Learning, Center for Dyslexia, Diverse Learners and Social Justice, University of California, Los Angeles

Trang Nguyen is the Administrative Coordinator for the UC/CSU California Collaborative for Neurodiversity and Learning at the Center for Dyslexia, Diverse Learners, and Social Justice. She has a master’s in developmental psychology from University of California, Davis. Her background stems from Special Services for preschool children through social engagement for school-age and adolescent children. Her most prior experience was managing a training program for adults with neurodiverse challenges, supporting them toward gaining and retaining sustainable employment.

Associate Professor, Division of Special Education and Counseling, California State University, Los Angeles

Dr. Anna Osipova is an Associate Professor in the Division of Special Education and Counseling at California State University, Los Angeles. Dr. Osipova has extensive experience as a K-12 special educator, having worked in public schools for over a decade. Her research and courses focus on language and literacy development, language and literacy-based interventions for diverse multilingual students with disabilities (including dyslexia), and professional training for special education teachers.

Associate Professor, Special Education Program, California State University, Dominguez Hills

Dr. Susan Porter is an Associate Professor at California State University, Dominguez Hills. She has over 40 years of experience in education, initially as a special education teacher for 20 years in public schools and private clinic settings. Dr. Porter subsequently served as a program consultant for the state of California, implementing statewide policies for teacher preparation. Her research focuses on secondary MTSS models and the preparation of literacy teachers.

Los Angeles County Office of Education, Certificated Contract Consultant

How Alpert, Ph.D., is a consultant and educator focused on serving the needs of students in special education — first as an aide, then as a substitute teacher, an educational therapist, a classroom teacher, and now as a researcher and instructor of pre-service and in-service teachers. His focus is on reading and reading instruction, but interests include implementation of behavioral, cognitive, and neurological theories in teaching preparation programs and k–12 classrooms.

Assistant Researcher, Center for Dyslexia, Diverse Learners, and Social Justice, University of California, Los Angeles

Dr. Laura Rhinehart is an Assistant Researcher at the Center for Dyslexia, Diverse Learners, and Social Justice at the University of California, Los Angeles. She received her M.Ed. and Ph.D. from UCLA’s Department of Education. Her current research focuses on dyslexia, early literacy assessment and reading interventions, and students with ADHD. Dr. Rhinehart’s articles have been published in peer-reviewed publications, including The Reading League Journal and The Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders.

Assistant Professor, Department of Special Education and Counseling, California State University, Los Angeles

Dr. Bryan Thornton is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Special Education and Counseling at California State University, Los Angeles. Prior to pursuing his doctorate, Dr. Thornton worked as a special education teacher with the Los Angeles Unified School District for over 12 years. His experiences as a special educator continue to inspire his research and teaching interests, which focus on inclusive education and the impact of disability-related stigma on students with disabilities.