Warner School welcomes new counseling & human development faculty
Three scholars have joined the ’s&Բ; for the start of the 2026-27 academic year, strengthening the school’s expertise in child development, mental health, and human development across diverse contexts.
The new tenure-track faculty bring nationally recognized expertise in early language and cognitive development among children who are DeafBlind or have sensory differences, developmental psychology and social-emotional learning across cultures, and the ways adversity, adaptation, and resilience shape children’s mental health across the lifespan.
“The Warner School is thrilled to welcome three outstanding scholars to our counseling & human development faculty,” says Melissa Sturge-Apple, dean of the Warner School. “Each brings an innovative and impactful research agenda that advances our understanding of how children and families learn, grow, and thrive under a range of developmental experiences and life experiences. Their work reflects the Warner School’s commitment to research that not only advances knowledge but also improves lives through meaningful partnerships with communities, schools, and families. Just as importantly, they are deeply committed to mentoring students and preparing the next generation of researchers, practitioners, educators, and counselors.”
Learn more about our newest faculty members below.
Erin Campbell
Erin Campbell joins the Warner School as an assistant professor in the human development program from Boston University’s Wheelock College of Education and Human Development, where she served as a research assistant professor. She earned her MA and PhD in cognition and cognitive neuroscience at Duke University, where she began investigating vocabulary acquisition among children who are deaf, blind, or DeafBlind.
Campbell’s research examines early language and cognitive development, with a particular focus on how perceptual experiences—including vision, hearing, and touch—and language input shape children’s word learning and conceptual development. Her work seeks to improve the understanding of how children with diverse sensory experiences acquire language and build knowledge about the world.
Javier Omar
Javier Omar joins the Warner School as an assistant professor in the human development program. His research centers on the development, assessment, and support of social-emotional skills in early childhood, with a focus on culturally and linguistically diverse children, as well as on the well-being and mental health of Latine immigrant children and adolescents.
Omar earned his PhD in developmental and psychological sciences from the Stanford Graduate School of Education. Before pursuing his doctoral studies, he served as a secondary science teacher within the San Antonio Independent School District.
Justin Russotti
Justin Russotti, a Warner School alumnus, returns to his alma mater as an assistant professor in the counseling program. He previously served as associate director of research at URochester’s Mt. Hope Family Center and the Department of Psychology.
Russotti’s NIH-funded research examines how adverse childhood experiences influence mental health and resilience across the lifespan. He currently leads a five-year NIH K01 Career Development Award and has secured more than $3.3 million in external funding while publishing more than 40 peer-reviewed articles. A dedicated mentor, he regularly collaborates with students as research partners and co-authors, integrating research, training, and clinical practice to improve mental health outcomes for children and families.
In addition to these three new counseling & human development faculty members, the Warner School will welcome Erin Anderson in mid-August as the school’s&Բ;new William and Sheila Konar Director of the Center for Urban Education Success and associate professor of educational leadership.