Dana Cox is a Research Associate-Inclusion Support Specialist and Mentor Coach at WestEd. She supports the CA-CSEFEL Teaching Pyramid and Beginning Together projects. She enjoys working on collaborative projects that support the well-being of young children and families.
Dana has worked in the field of child health and development for over 35 years, as both a Registered Nurse/Public Health Nurse and credentialed Early Childhood Special Educator. She earned her BSN from SFSU in 1984, and MA from Santa Clara University in 2003. She is endorsed in California as a Infant-Family Early Childhood Mental Health Specialist (0-5) and Reflective Practice Mentor. She is a certified with PITC, Positive Discipline, and the Child Trauma Academy NMT.
Dana's career path has been diverse and includes experience in pediatrics/ maternal-child health, early intervention/home-visiting, inclusion of young children with special needs, and mindfulness/SEL in education. Dana has been involved in adult education (including the development of ECE and Special Education curriculum) for much of her career. She currently serves as a faculty member at several institutions, including Cabrillo College, and the EPIC (Education Preparation for Inclusive Education) Credentialing Program. Were she teaches the Infant Toddler Early Intervention Field Course. She has consulted for several programs including UCSF Child Care Health. She credits her three children, one a young adult with cerebral palsy, as her greatest teachers.