Directors
Dr. Tiffany L. Brown
Professor of Child Development and Family Studies, College of Health and Human Services
Dr. Tiffany L. Brown is a Professor of Child Development and Family Studies in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences at California State University, Long Beach. She holds a Ph.D. in Child and Family Studies from Syracuse University, an M.A. in Social Sciences, and a B.S. in Psychobiology from Binghamton University. With over two decades of experience in higher education, her contributions within and beyond academia showcase a deep commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Dr. Brown’s research focuses on understanding contextual influences on the development of adolescents of color, exploring fatherhood experiences among Black and Latino men, and investigating the impact of study abroad programs on college students. Additionally, she teaches a range of undergraduate courses, including development during middle childhood and adolescence, family stress and coping, and family development across the lifespan. As a first-generation college student and woman of color, Dr. Brown recognizes the profound impact of supportive mentorship on personal and professional growth. Consequently, she values student mentorship and considers it as the cornerstone of her role as a faculty member.
At CSULB, she has also spearheaded several initiatives promoting diversity and equity, such as the inaugural FCS DEI Day and the first Race-Related Cultural Taxation Summit. Dr. Brown has also served on the President’s Equity and Change Commission (PECC) and as a facilitator for Inclusive Excellence and Pedagogy Faculty Learning Community. Beyond the university, Dr. Brown is an associate editor for Marriage and Family Review and previously served as a co-editor at the Journal of Family Theory and Review, both of which are premier academic journals in Family Science. Dr. Brown is also a member of the national board of directors for The All Stars Project, an innovative after-school development initiative benefitting youth from under-resourced communities across the United States. Previously at Montclair State University, she held leadership roles including interim Associate Dean and Faculty Board of Trustees representative.
Excited to co-direct the Leadership Fellows Program, Dr. Brown brings her diverse expertise in teaching, research, and community engagement to nurture future leaders. She gratefully embraces the opportunity to further enrich our university's success.
Dr. Jonathan J. O’Brien (’91 ’08)
Associate Professor of Educational Leadership, College of Education
Dr. O'Brien teaches courses in the Master of Science in Student Development and Higher Education and the Educational Doctorate program. His areas of expertise include law and ethics, counseling the adult, leadership and management, and qualitative methodologies. His scholarship focuses on ethical leadership and pedagogy, moral suffering, and professional competencies in higher education administration. He currently serves as the Chair of the Ethics Task Force for ACPA - College Student Educators International and is a Board Member for the Conference on Higher Education Values, Identities, Belonging, and Purpose headquartered at University of Missouri, Kansas City.
Besides teaching, Dr. O’Brien has chaired dozens of thesis committees and doctoral dissertations and taught seminars that guide students from inception of ideas through the research and writing process. Prior to his faculty appointment, Dr. O'Brien was Assistant Dean of Students at Loyola Marymount University (LMU) and, later, Dean of Students at Occidental College. At LMU he supervised professional staff in multiple areas, including Student Government, International Student Services, Health Education, Greek Life, and First Year Programs. At Occidental, he coordinated the Division of Student Affairs management team and created student support initiatives that prioritized student mental health and academic success by fostering collaboration among college departments.
Dr. O'Brien earned his Ed.D. in Educational Administration and Leadership from the joint degree program at University of California, Irvine, and CSULB. Originally from Long Beach, he resides there in a painstakingly restored, mid-century modern ranch home with his partner and rambunctious rat terrier.
