Our People

ISSBD’s success is mainly due to its active members and its incredibly hard-working executives. For more information on everyone involved for the society, please see the following sections below.

Governance

Responsible for the strategic leadership, oversight, and financial stewardship of the Society.

Standing Committees

These committees develop and oversee ISSBD's programs, publications, member services, and international initiatives.

General Committees

Early Career Scholar Committees

Working Groups

ISSBD Working Groups bring together members around focused, time-limited initiatives, tackling specific questions and projects that advance the Society's scientific and strategic priorities.

Regional Representatives

Regional Representatives strengthen ISSBD's global presence by connecting the Society with developmental scientists in their regions. They promote membership, support regional activities and professional development, encourage participation in ISSBD initiatives, and foster collaboration across the global developmental science community.

ISSBD Staff

The ISSBD staff provide the administrative, operational, and communications support that enables the Society's governance, programs, publications, conferences, and member services to function effectively.

Steering Committee

President

Frosso Motti-Stefanidi

National and Kapodistrian University of Athen, Greece
Past President

Tina Malti

University of Toronto, Canada
Secretary General

Annette Henderson

University of Auckland, New Zealand
Treasurer

Kristine Ajrouch

University of Michigan, USA
Membership Secretary

Pamela Wadende

Kisii University, Kenya
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Executive Committee

President

Frosso Motti

National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
Past President

Tina Malti

University of Toronto, Canada
Secretary General

Annette Henderson

University of Auckland, New Zealand
Treasurer

Kristine Ajrouch

University of Michigan, USA
Membership Secretary

Pamela Wadende

Kisii University, Kenya
Conference Liaison, Member

Manuela Verissimo

Instituto Superior de Psicologia Aplicada, Portugal
Member

René Veenstra

University of Groningen, The Netherlands
Member

Cinzia Di Dio

Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Italy
Member

Angelo Brandelli Costa

John Cabot University, Italy
Member

Nancy Hill

Harvard University, USA
Member

Chidoze Nwafor

University of Nigeria
Member

Amina Abubakar

Aga Khan University, Kenya
Early Career Scholar Representative 2024 - 2028

Tripti Kathuria

Tata Institute of Social Sciences, India
Early Career Scholar Representative 2024 - 2028

Marvin Kapenda

University of Zambia, Zambia
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Finance Committee

This committee works with the Treasurer to review investments and develop investment policy; and provide advice on D&O insurance, US non-profit filings (form 990), and financial transactions and institutions. It also reviews the budget as proposed and recommends actions to the EC.
Chair

Melanie Zimmer-Gembeck

Griffith University, Australia
Member

Brett Laursen

Florida Atlantic University, USA
Member

Nancy Galambos

University of Alberta, Canada
Member

Kristine Ajrouch

University of Michigan, USA
Member

Rick Burdick

Ex-Officio:President

Frosso Motti

National and Kapodistrian University of Athen, Greece
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Nominations Committee

This committee develops the slate of nominees for elections.
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Membership Committee 

The membership committee works with the Membership Secretary on membership recruitment strategies, including reaching better coverage of the lifespan; greater diversity of fields; improved recruitment of human development scholars beyond the US, Canada, and Europe, while retaining these traditional members; and more young scholars. This committee also works with the Membership Secretary to develop policy about membership fees.
Chair

Julie Bowker

University at Buffalo, USA
Member

Ann Sanson

University of Melbourne, Australia
Member

Cinzia Di Dio

Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Italy
Member

Ken Rubin

University of Maryland, USA
Member

Pamela Wadende

Kisii University, Kenya
Member

Yue Song

Nanjing Normal University, China
Ex-officio: President

Frosso Motti

National and Kapodistrian University of Athen, Greece
Ex-officio

Livia Melandri

SAGE Publications, United Kingdom
Ex-officio: Membership Manager

Karen Castillo

National University of Cuyo, Argentina
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Awards Committee

This committee solicits nominations for ISSBD awards and ISSBD Fellows awards, reviews the submissions, and selects the awardees to be announced at the biennial meeting.
Chair

Marcel van Aken

Utrecht University, The Netherlands
Member

Gail Ferguson

University of Minnesota, USA
Member

Shanu Shukla

Masaryk University, Czech Republic
Member

Meingold Chan

Purdue University, USA
Member

Linda Theron

University of Pretoria, South Africa
Member

Angelo Brandelli Costa

Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil
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Publications Committee

The Publications Committee oversees all ISSBD publications including IJBD, the ISSBD Bulletin, and web content. In addition, the Publications Committee recommends to the Executive Committee any changes in policy (including budgets) affecting publications. Finally, they periodically consider whether ISSBD should be engaging additional publication/communication approaches.
Co-Chair

Denis Gerstorf

Humboldt University, Germany
Co-Chair

Noah Webster

University of Michigan, UniteUSA
Member

Liane Peña Alampay

Ateneo de Manila University, Philippines
Member

Maayan Davidov

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
Member

Jutta Heckhausen

University of California, USA
Member

Silvia Koller

Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Member

Federico Manzi

Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Italy
Member

Pamela Wadende

Kisii University, Kenya
Ex-officio: IJBD Incoming Editor

Jennifer Lansford

Duke University, USA
Ex-officio: IJBD Current Editor

Brett Laursen

Florida Atlantic University, USA
Ex-officio: President

Tina Malti

University of Toronto, Canada
Ex-officio: ISSBD Bulletin Co-editor

Deepali Sharma

Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom
Ex-officio: ISSBD Bulletin Co-editor

Karina Weichold

Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Germany
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Global Policy Committee

Chair

Ingrid Schoon

University College London, United Kingdom
Member

Tina Malti

University of Toronto, Canada
Member

Valentine Banfegha Ngalim

University of Bamenda, Cameroon
Member

Geertjan Overbeek

University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Member

Karina Weichold

University of Jena, Germany
Member

Catherine Ward

University of Cape Town, South Africa
Member

Sophia Backhaus

University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Communications Committee

The ISSBD Communications Committee aims to ensure that the communication platforms of ISSBD reflect its commitment to international, diverse, and inclusive research on lifespan development, connecting researchers globally, and democratizing the production and communication of scholarly research.
Chair

Dawn E. England

University of Birmingham, United Kingdom
Member

Bin-Bin Chen

Fudan University, China
Member

Guilherme Welter Wendt

Western Paraná State University, Brazil
Member

Cinzia Di Dio

Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Italy
Ex-officio: President

Tina Malti

University of Toronto, Canada
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Early Career Scholars Committee

ISSBD runs the Early Career Scholars (ECS) programme for its membership in their early career stage. ISSBD defines an ECS as scholar of human development who is either working towards a PhD or whose PhD has been awarded less than 7 years ago. Thus, most early career scholars are in the early stage of their careers with a hunger for professional development. 

 

Read more about our early career activities here.

Chair

Federico Manzi

Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Italy
Outgoing ECSR

Cinzia Di Dio

Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Italy
Outgoing ECSR

Given Hapunda

University of Zambia, Zambia
Member

Sonti Zelma Mokobane

University of Fort Hare, South Africa
Member

Ella Daniel

Tel Aviv University, Israel
Member

Lilian Ayiro

Kaimosi Friends University College, Kenya
Member

Yao Sun

University of Maryland, USA
Member

Rachel Han

Beijing Normal University, China
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Early Career Travel Grant Committee

This committee is responsible for soliciting, assessing, and allocating travel grants and pre-conference workshop opportunities for early career scholars.
Chair

Julie Bowker

University at Buffalo, USA
Member

Esther Akinsola

University of Lagos, Nigera
Member

Toni Antonucci

University of Michigan, USA
Member

Nancy Galambos

University of Alberta, Canada
Member

Anne Petersen

University of Michigan, USA
Member

Suman Verma

Panjab University, India
Member

Angela Chow

Indiana University Bloomington, USA
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Optimizing Capacity Committee

This committee capitalizes on ISSBD’s investments in optimizing global capacity.
Chair

Pamela

Kisii University, Kenya
Member

Toni Antonucci

University of Michigan, USA
Member

Anne Petersen

University of Michigan, USA
Member

Godfrey Ejuu

Kyambogo University, Uganda
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Regional Workshop Committee

This committee provides recommendations to the Executive Committee regarding the funding of ISSBD regional workshops.
Chair

Astrid Poorthuis

Utrecht University, The Netherlands
Member

Alice J. Wuermli

New York University Steinhardt, USA
Member

Ruthaychonnee Sittichai

Prince of Songkla University, Thailand
Member

Godfrey Ejuu

Kyambogo University, Uganda
Member

Bin-Bin Chen

Fudan University, China
Member

Sami Mahajna

Beit Berl College, Israel
Member

Ruth Speidel

University of Toronto Mississauga, Canada
Member

Guilherme Welter Wendt

Western Paraná State University, Brazil
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Developing Country Fellowship (DCF)

The aim of Developing Countries Fellowships (DCFs) to encourage sustainable development of activities congruent with the aims of ISSBD in developing countries and assist the professional development of early career scholars.
Co-chair

Peter K. Smith

University of London, United Kingdom
Co-chair

Muthanna Samara

Kingston University London, United Kingdom
Member

Tyler Colosante

Leipzig University, Germany
Member

Hildegunn Fandrem

University of Stavanger, Norway
Member

Martina Zinkeng

University of Buea, Cameroon
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Dissemination of Developmental Science

Chair

Geertjan Overbeek

University of Amsterdam, Nerthelands
Chair of the Communications Committee

Dawn England

University of Birmingham, UK
Chair of the Optimising Capacity Committee

Pamela Wandende

Kisii University, Kenya
Chair of the Membership Committee and member of the Child & Family Blog group

Julie Bowker

University at Buffalo, USA
Manager of the Child & Family Blog

Duncan Fisher

Child & Family Blog
President of the Child & Family Blog

Amanda Morris

Child & Family Blog
Early Career Scholar Representative on the Executive Council

Tripti Kathuria

Tata Institute of Social Sciences, India.
Operations Manager

Karen Castillo

ISSBD
Communications Manager

Patrick Njoroge

ISSBD
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Artificial Intelligence

Chair

Cinzia Di Dio

Universtià Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Italy
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Constitution and Bylaws Review

Chair

Luc Goossens

KU Leuven
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Conference Guidelines

Chair

Manuela Verissimo

Instituto Superior de Psicologia Aplicada, Portugal
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TBA

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ISSBD Staff

These are ISSBD staff employed to support the society in membership and communication.
Operations Manager

Karen Castillo

Communications Manager

Patrick Njoroge

Webmaster

Jan Boom

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