Melissa Jackson

Dr. Melissa Jackson is an Assistant Professor in the Early Childhood Development and Learning: Diverse Children and Families Graduate Program at Hunter College in New York City. With over 20 years in Special Education and Applied Behavior Analysis, she has served as a teacher, early intervention supervisor, and program director. For the past 12 years, she has prepared pre-service teachers for roles in early childhood special education and early intervention.
Her research focuses on practitioner self-efficacy, evidence-based practices for children with disabilities, emergency preparedness for children with autism, family collaboration, social validity, and professional development. Dr. Jackson has published on topics such as lockdown drills and children with autism, and experiences of families with prenatal diagnoses. She regularly presents her work at national and international conferences.

A dedicated NYSABA member since 2020, Melissa began as a Student Ambassador. She later served as an Executive Intern and helped plan NYSABA’s first hybrid conference, eventually holding the role of Conference Chair. For the 2024 Conference, she led the transition to BehaviorLive. Outside of work, she enjoys life in the Bronx with her husband, son, and cat.