Full Time Faculty

The tenured and tenure-track faculty members of the Department of Psychology are listed below. You can also visit the web page for faculty research for more information on the research interests of each faculty member.

Note: KH = Martin Luther King Hall. When calling from off-campus, the area code and prefix for all telephone extensions is (323) 34x-xxxx.


Corinne Bower, Ph.D. 

Dr. Bower  Assistant Professor, joined faculty in 2022
 Ph.D., 2017, Pennsylvania State University
 Research Lab: Child Development and Learning Lab
 Phone: 3-5941
                      E-mail: cbower3@calstatela.edu | Web: Dr. Bower

Mitchell Eisen, Ph.D. [Director, Forensic MS program] 

Dr. Mitchell Eisen  Professor, 
 Ph.D., 1993, University of Miami
 Research Lab: Forensic Psychology Lab
 Phone: 3-5006
 E-mail: meisen@calstatela.edu  | Web: Dr. Eisen
 

Joel Ellwanger, Ph.D. 

Dr. Joel Ellwanger  Professor, joined faculty in 2002
 Ph.D., 1997, Northwestern University
 Research Lab: Cognitive Psychophysiology Laboratory
 Phone: 3-2266
 E-mail: jellwan@calstatela.edu  
 

Gaithri Fernando, Ph.D. 
 
Dr. Fernando  Professor, Emerita
 Ph.D., 1996, Fuller Theological Seminary
 Research Lab: Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress Lab
 Phone: 3-2260
                      E-mail: [email protected]   | Web: Dr. Fernando

Steven Frenda, Ph.D. 

Dr. Frenda  Associate Professor, joined faculty in 2016
 Ph.D., 2014, University of California, Irvine
 Phone: 3-2277
 E-mail: s[email protected]   | Web: Dr. Frenda 

Senqi Hu, Ph.D. 
 
Dr. Hu  Professor, joined faculty in 2011, Emeritus
 Ph.D., 1990, Pennsylvania State University
 Phone: 3-2260
                      E-mail:   [email protected]  | Web: Dr. Hu

Matthew Jackson, Ph.D.

Matthew Jackson  Associate Professor, joined faculty in 2017
 Ph.D., 2013, University of California, Los Angeles
 Phone: 3-2259
 E-mail:  [email protected]
 

Robert Kennison, Ph.D.

Dr. Robert Kennison  Professor, joined faculty in 2006
 Ph.D., 2000, Claremont Graduate University
 Research Lab:  Silver Eagle Lab on Aging, Cognition, and Emotion
 Phone: 3-2265

                      E-mail:  [email protected]  


Eric L. Kohatsu, Ph.D.   
Dr. Kohatsu  Professor, Emeritus
 Ph.D., 1992, University of Maryland, College Park Los Angeles
 Research Lab: Center for Cross-Cultural Research
 Phone: 3-2270
 E-mail:  [email protected]
 

Alma Olaguez, Ph.D. 

Dr. Matthies  Assistant Professor
 Ph.D., 2021, University of California, Irvine
 Research Lab: Legal Attitudes Lab
 Phone: 3-5109
                     E-mail: aolague3@calstatela.edu  

Brigitte Matthies, Ph.D. 

Dr. Matthies  Professor, Emerita
 Ph.D., 1993, McGill University
 Phone: 3-5109
 E-mail: bmatthi@calstatela.edu   

 


Pamela Regan, Ph.D. 

Dr. Regan  Professor, joined faculty in 1996
 Ph.D., 1994, University of Minnesota
 Research Lab: Social Relations Lab
 Phone: 3-2289

Heidi Riggio, Ph.D. [Department Chair] 

Dr. Riggio  Professor, joined faculty in 2005
 Ph.D., 2001, Claremont Graduate University
 Phone: 3-2252
 

Dana Saifan, Ph.D. 

Dr. Dana Saifan  Assistant Professor, joined faculty in 2023
 Ph.D., 2022, University of California, Los Angeles
 Research Lab: FREEDOM Lab: Facilitating Research for Equity, Empowerment, and Decolonization of Mental Health 
 Phone: 3-5910
 E-mail: [email protected] | Web: Dr. Saifan
 

Henry D. Schlinger, Jr., Ph.D. 

Dr. Schlinger  Professor
 Ph.D., 1985, Western Michigan University
 Research Lab: Behavior Analysis Lab
 Phone: 3-2250

Ji Son, Ph.D. 

Dr. Son  Professor
 Ph.D., 2007, Indiana University
 Research Lab: Learning Lab
 Phone: 3-2261
 E-mail: json2@calstatela.edu | Web: Dr. Son
 

Doug Stenstrom, Ph.D. 

Dr. Douglas Sternstrom  Professor
 Ph.D., 2008, University of Southern California
 Research Lab: Decision-Making Lab
 Phone: 3-2258
                      E-mail: [email protected]

Yvette Z. Szabo, Ph.D. 

Dr. Szabo  Assistant Professor, joined faculty in 2022
 Ph.D., 2017, University of Louisville
 Research Lab: Psychoneuroimmunology Research On Stress, PTSD, Emotion and Recovery (PROSPER) Lab
 Phone: 3-5060
                     E-mail: yszabo@calstatela.edu | Web: Dr. Szabo

Karen Wu, Ph.D. [Director, MA program] 

Dr. Wu  Associate Professor, joined faculty in 2017
 Ph.D., 2016, University of California, Irvine
 Research Lab: Culture and Relationships Lab
 Phone: 3-2283
                     E-mail: kwu25@calstatela.edu | Web: Dr. Wu