Project LMAESTRO

Ya-Chih “Jilly” Chang, Ph.D. is a Professor in the Department of Special Education and Counseling at California State University, Los Angeles. Her research focuses on social communication interventions with young children with autism and other developmental disabilities, the implementation of evidence-based interventions for young children with disabilities in inclusive settings, and community-partnered interventions for culturally and linguistically diverse children and families.

Stephanie Shire, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor in Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education. Her research interests focus on the development, adaptation, and real world effectiveness of intervention programs for children with autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders examined through community partnerships in both low and high resource settings. She is interested in the use of effectiveness-implementation hybrid designs (e.g., Shire et al., 2017), and Sequential Multiple Assignment Randomized Trials (SMARTs) to examine both the implementation of the intervention through community practitioners as well as children’s development.

Connie Kasari, Ph.D. University of California, Los Angeles, Distinguished Professor of Human Development & Psychology in the School of Education with a joint appointment in the Department of Psychiatry.  She received her Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and has been on the faculty at UCLA where she teaches both graduate and undergraduate courses and has been the primary advisor to more than 90 PhD students.  She is a founding member of the Center for Autism Research and Treatment at UCLA. Her research aims to development novel, evidence-tested interventions implemented in community settings.  Recent projects include targeted treatments for early social communication development in at risk infants, toddlers and preschoolers with autism, and peer relationships for school aged children with autism.

I am a PhD student in Special Education through the University of Oregon. I have an M.S. in Prevention Science and am a single parent. I am privileged to be part of the LMAESTRO team and to focus my research on strategies on early intervention for children and parents at risk for adverse outcomes which are preventable. I aim to help focus on the unique strengths of these individuals and look forward to advocating for those we serve through research based on lived expertise and community education.

I started my journey in becoming an educator in CSULA’s Urban Learning Program. I earned my B.A in Urban Learning and my M.A in Special Education emphasis in Moderate/Severe Disabilities. In my professional career, I have found my joy in coaching teachers that support neurodiverse learners & also in my previous years of experience as a classroom teacher. Outside of work and school I enjoy traveling and glamping.

Prior to joining Project LMAESTRO, I taught special education at the elementary school level in a large Nevada public school district. Most of those years were spent teaching preschool-aged children with developmental delays, including autism. Presently, I am a Ph.D student in Special Education at the University of Oregon. I am interested in developing strategies for improving social and communication skills in young children.

I have my M.Ed. in special education from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Before becoming a teacher, I studied philosophy and have my MA in philosophy from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. I am a veteran of the United States Marine Corps. I have done martial arts since the age of seven and drink way too much coffee.

I am a Southern California native with a strong passion for supporting students with disabilities. I completed my undergraduate studies at UC Irvine and earned my graduate degree from Cal State San Bernardino. Currently, I am pursuing my Ph.D. in Special Education through the joint doctoral program at Cal State LA and UCLA. As a school psychologist, I have had the privilege of helping students with disabilities by conducting assessments, developing individualized education plans (IEPs), and collaborating with educators and families. I am dedicated to advocating for the rights and needs of these students, ensuring they have access to the resources and support necessary to thrive in an inclusive educational environment.