- Research & Initiatives
- Research Centers & Labs
- Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning
- CASTL People
CASTL People
With over 200 research faculty, scientists and staff, CASTL is a collaborative and innovative environment focused on the latest research that improves teaching and learning from infancy to higher education.
CASTL Faculty

Julia Blodgett
- Associate Professor
- Clinical Psychologist
- Director of Assessment Services

Margaret (Peg) R. Burchinal
- Research Professor

Julie Jackson Cohen
- Charles S. Robb Associate Professor

Jamie DeCoster
- Research Associate Professor

Jason T. Downer
- Professor
- Director, Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning

Shereen El Mallah
- Research Assistant Professor

Tanya Evans
- Associate Professor

David W. Grissmer
- Research Professor

Colby Hall
- Assistant Professor

Chris S. Hulleman
- Research Professor of Education and Public Policy

Karen Kurotsuchi Inkelas
- Professor of Education

Patricia A. Jennings
- Professor
- Ed.D. in Curriculum & Instruction Program Director

Lieny Jeon
- Jane Batten Bicentennial Associate Professor

Jamie J. Jirout
- Associate Professor

Traci Kutaka
- Research Assistant Professor

Ann Partee
- Research Assistant Professor of Education

Robert C. Pianta
- Batten Bicentennial Professor of Early Childhood Education

Sara Rimm-Kaufman
- Chair, Department of Education Leadership, Foundations and Policy
- Commonwealth Professor of Education

Josipa Roksa
- Professor

Shubhi Sachdeva
- Research Assistant Professor

Emily Solari
- Edmund H. Henderson Professor of Education
- Director, Virginia Literacy Partnerships

Yoi Tibbetts
- Research Assistant Professor

Khara Turnbull
- Research Assistant Professor

Virginia E. Vitiello
- Research Associate Professor

Jessica E. Whittaker
- Research Associate Professor
- Director of Birth to Eight Initiatives

Amanda P. Williford
- Batten Bicentennial Professor of Early Childhood Education Associate Director for Early Childhood Education
- CASTL Clinical Psychologist
CASTL Professional Research Staff

Jhonelle Bailey
- Early Childhood Research Scientist

Sae Chapman
- Research Specialist Intermediate

Kelsey Clayback
- Postdoctoral Research Associate

Carlin Conner
- Senior Research Scientist

Ann Shargo Lhospital
- Senior Scientist

Kathy Neesen
- Research Scientist
- Instructional Technology Lead

Pamela Nicholas-Hoff
- Research Scientist

Lauren Thayer
- EL-VEST Postdoctoral Fellow

Wanda L. Weaver
- Research Scientist

Melissa Williams
- Professional Development Early Childhood Education Coach
CASTL Staff

Stephanie Adams
- Lead ECE Content and Training Developer

Rinyka Belle Allison
- Early Childhood Education Coach

Anna Ballantyne
- Lab Manager, Educational Neuroscience Lab

Amanda Balsamo Doherty
- Grants and Contracts Administrator

Golda Barrow
- Project Manager

Janet Beaulieu
- Early Childhood Education (ECE) Coach

Patricia Bennett-Wilhem
- STREAMin3 Coach

Rainey Blackwell-Bullock
- Education and Outreach Specialist

Ang Blanchette
- Education and Outreach Manager

Kama Danielle Booher
- Early Childhood Education (ECE) Coach

Renae Britton
- Early Childhood Business System Analyst

Terra Browne
- Motivate Lab Project Associate

Michele N. Burke
- PALS Education and Outreach Specialist

Neda Burtman
- Senior Grants & Contracts Administrator

Serena Bush
- Education and Outreach Specialist
- Literacy Professional Development & Technical Assistance

Marcela Courtade Carlock
- Education and Outreach Manager

Hannah Carney
- Education Outreach Specialist

Lingmei Cheng
- PALS Senior Web Developer

Leah Chilson
- Project Management Associate

Lauren Condoluci
- Early Childhood Education Content and Training Developer

Hayley Corey
- Education and Outreach Specialist

Kelly Cush Hughes
- Coordination and Outreach Specialist

Marie Cushing
- Research Specialist

Laura Jo Darcy
- Education and Outreach Director

Jenifer Davis
- Project Manager for Virginia Kindergarten Readiness Program

Renee de Kruif
- Data Specialist

Jenn Donnelly
- Senior Grants and Contracts Administrator

Monique Calderon Dotson
- Postsecondary Pathways Director

Kasey Dye
- Data Management Specialist

Caitlin Ellis
- Early Childhood Education Project Manager

Anne Etten
- Education and Outreach Specialist

Jessica Fake
- Senior Project Manager

Isabelle Fares
- Data Scientist, Research

Michelle Francis
- Senior Data Manager

Cloe E. Frank
- Program Management Associate

Michele A. Gay
- Software Engineer

Laura C. Giessler
- Education and Outreach Specialist

Cassandra M. Godwin
- Early Childhood Education (ECE) Coach

Michelle Gomes
- Early Childhood Education (ECE) Coach

Allison Gray
- Senior Data Analyst and Visualization Specialist

LaNijah Grier
- Education and Outreach Manager

Yin Gu
- Research Specialist

Christopher Gulla
- Manager, IT Applications Development

Jamie Hammond
- Education and Outreach Manager

Sarah Hammond
- Research Specialist Intermediate

Dominique Harris
- Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant

Sarah Hawthorne
- Data Specialist

Kat Hegedus
- Education and Outreach Manager

Laura Helferstay
- Research Specialist

Erin Highton
- Project Associate

Anne-Marie Howard
- Education and Outreach Specialist

Susan C. Hughes
- Administrative Coordinator

Jenny Isaacs-Lowe
- Education and Outreach Manager

Janine Jakim
- Data Specialist

Denise James
- VLP Research Specialist
- Research Specialist Intermediate

Brianna Jaworski
- Project Management Associate

Moira Johnson
- Project Manager

Myia Johnson
- Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant

Lydia Jordan
- Early Childhood Education (ECE) Coach

Grace Kegley
- Project Manager
Ryan D. Kiley
- Senior Research Specialist

Benjamin King
- Data Management Specialist

Katie Kinsella
- Communications and Outreach Specialist

Brian Kozuch
- CASTL Finance Generalist

Abigail Krissinger
- Research Specialist

Cindy Kuhns
- Early Childhood Education Coach

Alexis Lewis
- Project Management Associate

Daniel Lipscomb
- Research Specialist

Sarah Virginia Lydic
- Senior Instructional Technology Specialist
- Multimedia Developer

Marianna Lyulchenko
- Research Specialist

Sharon Sarah Manana
- ECE Content and Training Developer

Alexandra Manso
- STREAMin3 Coach

Alicia Matho
- Education and Outreach Manager

Genevieve Matthew
- Research Specialist Intermediate

Kate Matthew
- Senior Project Manager
- STREAMin3 Project Director

Keisha J. McClain
- Early Childhood Education (ECE) Coach

Angel McCray
- VKRP Communications and Outreach Specialist

Kelly McGuire
- Multimedia Creative Professional

Katherine James McLemore
- Instructional Coach, TeachSIM Lab

Laura McWhinney
- Senior Data Specialist

Hannah Frances Melton
- Research Specialist

Alison Morin
- CASTL Center Administrator

Becky Newell
- LinkB5 Education and Outreach Manager

Vanessa Olivar
- UVA Bilingual Data Collector

Hallie Parten
- Research Specialist

Sandra Annette Patillo-Mason
- Early Childhood Education (ECE) Coach

Danielle Peacock
- Executive Director, Link B5

Sanford Pliskin
- Early Childhood Education Coach

Jessica Ponton
- Education and Outreach Manager

Tara Powell
- Lead of Professional Development Team STREAMin3

Donyá Price
- Education Outreach Specialist

Brittany Rettig
- Research Specialist

Yolanda Torres Richey
- ECE Content and Training Developer

Melody Roberts
- Administrative Coordinator

Jennifer Rofman
- Education and Outreach Manager

Nathalie Rose
- Education and Outreach Manager

Elise Rubinstein
- Research Manager

Miriam Rushfinn
- Early Childhood Education Project Manager

Nina Rushing
- Early Childhood Education Coach

Miranda Schirch Goldberg
- Early Childhood Customer Service Specialist

Sarah Schroeder
- Education and Outreach Manager

Tara Scott
- Early Childhood Education Project Associate

Matthew C. Semanik
- Multimedia and Web Developer

Autumn Shaffer
- Project Associate

Kerry Abigail Shea
- Research Specialist Senior

Amanda Sheehan
- Education and Outreach Manager

Lauren Simmons
- Research Specialist
- LinkB5 Outreach Specialist

Lori Stahl
- Communication and Outreach Specialist

Kacey Sterne
- Education and Outreach Manager

Celeste Sumo
- Senior Project Management Associate

Margaret Tamayo
- Project Associate

Carolyn Taylor
- Early Childhood Education Coach

Grace Therber
- Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant

Delaram Totonchi
- Research Scientist

Jasmine M. Truong
- Research Specialist
- EL-VEST Coordinator

Lisa Tyree
- Virginia Literacy Partnerships Education and Outreach Manager

Benita Voran
- Data Management Specialist

Alyssa Vukelich
- Project Management Associate

Pat Watkins
- StreamIn3 Coach

Octavia Wells
- Senior Fiscal Technician

Beth S. Williams
- Virginia Literacy Partnerships Education and Outreach Director

Kara Williams
- Project Associate

Amy Wolford
- Education and Outreach Manager

Julie Young
- Education and Outreach Manager
Affiliated Faculty
UVA Affiliated Faculty
Other Affiliated Faculty
Making an Impact
My work experience is so invigorating, fulfilling, and packed with indescribable support, respect, and compassion. There are countless moments of gratitude expressed in our every day works to strengthen the early childhood field.
Tara Scott
Early Childhood Education Project Associate