Meet the Team
Daniel S. Shaw
University of Pittsburgh
Dr. Shaw is a founder of Early Steps and currently serves on the project’s leadership team. He directs both the Pitt Parents and Children Laboratory and the Center for Parents and Children. His primary research focuses on parent-child interactions and evaluating the effectiveness of interventions aimed at promoting the wellbeing of parents and children.
Melvin N. Wilson
University of Virginia
Dr. Wilson is an Early Steps founder and worked on the project until 2022, when he retired. His work is dedicated to improving outcomes for parents and children. He is now an Emeritus Professor of Psychology at the University of Virginia.
Frances Gardner
University of Oxford
Dr. Gardner was a founder of Early Steps and is a professor of child and family psychology at the University of Oxford. Her research works to develop parenting support for families across many countries and cultures.
In Memoriam, Thomas J. Dishion
University of Oregon and Oregon Research Institute
Dr. Dishion was a founder of Early Steps and sadly passed away in June 2018. His research had a major impact on the field, changing how experts understand child development, developmental psychopathology, and prevention science. He also helped improve how this knowledge is used in clinical and prevention programs.
Kathryn Lemery-Chalfant
Arizona State University
Dr. Lemery-Chalfant joined Early Steps in 2014. She is a professor of psychology at Arizona State University. Her research looks at how both genes and life experiences shape child and teen development.
Erika Westling
Oregon Research Institute
Dr. Westling joined Early Steps in 2018. She is a researcher at the Oregon Research Institute. She studies how personal and environmental factors affect health and behavior, and helps develop digital programs to support healthy choices in children and teens.
Jazmin Brown-Iannuzzi
University of Virginia
Dr. Brown-Iannuzzi joined the team in 2022 and is a professor of psychology and public policy. Her research focuses on understanding why social inequalities exist and how they affect people’s lives.
The Early Steps Project is made possible through the contributions of many dedicated research staff and team members past and present. We are grateful for their commitment to advancing this work.
Click here to get in touch with our staff!