Our Team
Administrative Team
Director
X. Christine Wang, PhD
Senior Associate Dean for Interdisciplinary Research
Professor
Director, Early Childhood Research Center
wangxc@buffalo.edu
Christine, a native of China, completed her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Beijing Normal University. She obtained her PhD from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2003 and joined the University at Buffalo faculty later that same year.
Christine is a prolific researcher and an active member in professional organizations. Her primary research interests include young children’s learning and collaboration in technology-rich environments, early science/literacy and design experiment, and early childhood education in international contexts. Besides conducting research, what she enjoys the most is spending time in classrooms and being the favorite aunt of her young nephews.
Associate Director
Keely Benson, PhD
Keely grew up in Hamburg, New York, and currently resides in East Aurora. She completed her BA at the University at Buffalo in psychology and social sciences and interdisciplinary with a minor in education. In 2010, Keely began teaching at ECRC as a lead teacher in the preschool classroom. During that time, she obtained her master’s at UB in early childhood and childhood education and obtained her professional certification to teach students from birth to sixth grade. Keely completed her doctoral degree in 2018 in curriculum, instruction and the science of learning with a concentration in early childhood education.
Her research interests and passions include visual arts in early childhood and early childhood curriculum development. You can often find her in the classrooms at the art center, covered in paint or immersed in dramatic play.
Outside of the ECRC, she loves to spend time with her family—her husband Josh, daughter Isla, and son Rowan. They enjoy spending time outside playing, including at the park or going on a hike. Born and raised in Buffalo, she is a big fan of her hometown sports teams, both the Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres.
Early Childhood Leads
Alice Cady, EdM
Alice Cady is from Wellsville, New York, in Allegany County. Alice started at ECRC as an intern in August 2014 and began as a teacher later that year. Soon after, she began teaching in the toddler classroom. She received her bachelor’s degree in health and human services from the University at Buffalo in May 2015. Alice then completed her master’s degree in early childhood education and childhood education in 2017. She is currently in pursuit of her EdD, with a focus on computational thinking in preschool.
Alice enjoys mentoring future teachers and teaching a UB undergraduate course on child development and learning. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family. Together they love exploring different towns, music, swimming, gymnastics, playing outside and playing with their dogs Desi and Remi.
Michael Sheridan, PhD
Michael is from Amherst, New York. He has his PhD in curriculum, instruction and the science of learning from UB. He also has his EdM in early childhood and childhood education from UB.
Michael first joined ECRC in 2019, after working as a teacher and assistant director at a nearby daycare. Michael was hired full time in 2024. When not at work, Michael spends time with his family. Together they love to play outside, read books and have dance parties.
Julianna Walker, EdM
Julianna grew up in Lancaster, New York. She received her bachelor’s degree in health and human services, with a concentration in early childhood and a minor in education, from the University at Buffalo in 2021. In 2024, she received her master’s degree in early childhood and childhood education and has her New York State teacher certification for birth through sixth grade. Julianna joined the ECRC as an intern in fall 2021 and started teaching in fall 2022. She completed her early childhood practicum placement at ECRC and then began full time in 2024.
In her free time, Julianna loves going to yoga classes and spending lots of time with family and friends. In the classroom, she loves to get messy with the students making play-dough, oobleck or slime.
Teaching Team
Becca grew up in Jamestown, New York. She received her bachelor’s degree in international studies from the University of Dayton in May 2019. She is in pursuit of her master’s in early childhood and childhood education. This is her first year at ECRC.
Before ECRC, Becca gained experience by babysitting, working in a summer play program and substitute teaching in K–6 grade classrooms. In her free time, she loves to spend time with her family and friends, skiing, reading, traveling and cooking.
Mehri grew up in Buffalo, New York. She earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in human resources and minor in education from the University at Buffalo in 2024. She is currently pursuing her master’s degree in early childhood and childhood education on the initial/professional track and expects to complete it in 2026. Upon graduation, she will be certified to teach students from birth through sixth grade.
Mehri joined ECRC in 2023 as an intern and continued as a teacher following her internship. She will complete her student teaching residency at ECRC, where she continues to deepen her passion for teaching and learning through play.
She believes that play is a powerful tool for growth, no matter a child’s age, and finds great joy and reward in watching children discover, create and develop new skills each day. For Mehri, teaching is deeply fulfilling because it allows her to make a lasting impact on children’s lives, helping them build confidence, curiosity and a lifelong love of learning.
Outside of school, Mehri enjoys spending time with her family and friends, her dog Lucy, cheering on the Buffalo Bills, discovering new places to explore and vacationing at Disney.
Gabby was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, and is so excited to be part of the ECRC community. She will earn her bachelor’s degree in health and human services and early childhood education from the University at Buffalo in May 2026 and plans to continue her studies there to pursue a master’s degree in early childhood education.
Gabby first joined ECRC as an intern in 2024 and is thrilled to return this year in the toddler classroom. She is passionate about early childhood education and feels grateful to support children during such an important stage of their growth and development. Prior to working at ECRC, Gabby gained experience babysitting and tutoring. She also works in her hometown elementary school’s after-school program and summer day camp, where she enjoys creating fun, engaging and meaningful experiences for children.
In her free time, Gabby loves reading, cooking and baking. She especially enjoys going on adventures with her dog, Luna, and spending quality time with her family and friends.
Rachel is originally from Syracuse, New York, and is currently finishing her master’s in early childhood and childhood education at UB. She has previously interned at UB’s ECRC in both the preschool and toddler classroom, and has additional experience working with students in grades pre-K–8 for general and special education.
Always interested in early childhood development, she is passionate about physical and socioemotional development. You can often find her outside, immersed in dramatic play with the kiddos or during music play.
Outside of school, she loves to spend time with her friends and family. As a “professional” busy-body, she enjoys singing and making music with five ensembles in the greater Buffalo area during the school year, including Western New York-based groups Vox Luscinae and Incipio Singers. You can also find her at one of UB’s dining halls after they close, helping fight food waste in Buffalo with UB’s chapter of the Food Recovery Network, which helps donate uneaten food to local charities throughout the 716 area. In her rather rare free time, she loves a good book, cooking/baking and Disney movies.
Jordan grew up in Amherst, NY. She is currently a fourth-year student at the University at Buffalo and will graduate with a BA in Health adn Human Services with a minor in American Sign Language this spring. She is also pursuing an EdM in Early Childhood and Childhood Education, expected spring of 2027.
Jordan gained experience working with children through babysitting and teaching children's gym classes at Rolly Pollies. She joined the ECRC as a volunteer in Spring 2024, intered that summer, and continued as a teacher in the fall. In the classroom, you can often find her creating with play dough or engaged in dramatic play.
Outside of the classroom, Jordan serves as music director of The Royal Pitches, UB's all-treble a cappella group. When she's not singing or spending time with friends, she enjoys crafting, running, and relaxing with her cat, Lucy.
Allie is a recent graduate from Niagara University and is working toward her master’s degree at the University at Buffalo. She has taught beginner American Sign Language in sixth grade, student taught in eighth grade math and fifth grade, and subbed in classrooms ranging in age and subject.
Outside of school, she was on her college dance team and is currently teaching at her old dance studio. She comes from a big Italian family that loves pasta almost as much as cheering for the Buffalo Bills.
Kyra is from Lockport, New York, and continues to live there. She recently completed her BA in health and human services at UB and is completing her teaching residency to obtain her master’s in early childhood and childhood education. In the classroom, she enjoys making art, reading stories or playing a silly game.
Outside of ECRC, you can find her lost in a good book or spending quality time with her close friends and family. She also enjoys baking, crocheting and playing the piano.
Anna was born and raised in Lancaster, New York, where she currently lives with her parents and two dogs. She graduated from the University at Buffalo in 2025 with her B.A. in Health and Human Services and a minor in Educational Leadership and Policy. During her undergraduate career, Anna worked as a Lead Teacher in an early childhood setting, a summer camp counselor, as well as substitute teaching in local Charter schools. She is currently in the last year of her master's degree in early childhood/childhood education through UB's Graduate School of Education. During the Fall semester, she student taught in a fifth-grade classroom in the Kenton School District.
One of her favorite things in the classroom is reading books and playing through literacy. Anna is passionate about promoting literacy across all subjects, and how this can be integrated into play. In her free time, Anna teaches dance at a local dance studio-- from parent and me classes, to competitive classes and everything in between. Her favorite thing to do is travel to different countries, exploring their local culture, food and literature! She collects children's books from each country, and hopes to share some with your child!
Samar is currently a senior at the University at Buffalo in early childhood education and health and human services. In addition to teaching at ECRC, Samar also serves as a program manager with the Just For Kids before- and after-school program in Grand Island. She has worked in the child care field for five years, and she looks forward to making connections and wonderful memories in the upcoming school year with the pre-K students.
Advisory Board
- Lindsey Dotson
Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations, University at Buffalo - Corinne Eggleston, PhD
Associate Manager, Fisher-Price Play Lab - Jamie Ostrov, PhD
Professor, Psychology, University at Buffalo - Sheri Scavone
CEO, WNY Women’s Foundation - Elizabeth Sengupta
Training Program Administrator, Child/Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship - Emily Burns Perryman
Head of Marketing and Communications, Invest in Others Charitable Foundation
To effectively provide support, guidance and action to our ECRC administration, our advisory board has three subcommittees.
- Fundraising: This committee leads continuous efforts to increase revenue for the ECRC. This includes planning and implementing an endowment fund, a fundraising campaign, the annual Fun Run, etc.
- Community Engagement: This committee brings together a variety of organizations with the overarching goal of strengthening early childhood education in Western New York. This includes consultation with early education and care programs, collaboration with community partners, and professional development opportunities.
- Staffing/Teacher Education and Research: This committee advises on hiring and retention of student staff members, balancing both master's and PhD students, and addressing changes in GSE programs and requirements (UB Teacher Residency, UB Teach). This committee advises our research efforts and continued collaboration with GSE and UB.