Center for Scholars & Storytellers
Michelle Leccese, M.A., is an experienced educator and researcher currently serving as Adjunct Faculty at Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology since September 2021, teaching courses in social psychology, psychopathology, and research methods. Michelle has also contributed as a Fellow and Research Insights Collaborator at the Center for Scholars & Storytellers since October 2020, specializing in Game Studies and Development. Previous roles include User Experience Research positions at Activision and Activision Blizzard, focusing on user testing and experience, as well as various research and coaching roles in academic settings. Michelle holds a PhD in Communication and Media Studies from USC Annenberg School and an MA in Psychology from Pepperdine University.
Center for Scholars & Storytellers
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The Center for Scholars & Storytellers (CSS), at UCLA, collaborates with leading scientists to provide research-based insights for content creators crafting authentic and inclusive stories for children (ages 2-9) and adolescents (ages 10-25). Our focus is on entertainment content that supports young people's social and emotional health and well-being, emphasizing changing ingrained cultural narratives around the critical issues of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA), mental health, and inequality. CSS brings academic rigor and real-world entertainment expertise to every project we undertake. By partnering with more than 60 subject-matter experts, scientists, graduate students, research assistants, and academic collaborators worldwide, we help the entertainment industry reimagine and strengthen its content so that young people can thrive and grow. Our original research and valuable insights and tools have been featured in several major media sources such as ABC News, EdSource, NBC News, the New York Times, Today, and more. In just a few years, CSS has grown across all content sectors and is being used by some of the industry's most well-known names, including media companies (Disney, Paramount, Pixar), tech (YouTube, Google), gaming (Twitch, Ninja), public health (Surgeon General, LA County of Education), and consumer products (Mattel, Lego, Barbie). CSS was founded in 2019 by award-winning Dr. Yalda T. Uhls, a former senior film executive who subsequently received a Ph.D. in developmental psychology from UCLA. Dr. Uhls was recently named 1 of 9 DEI experts who are changing Hollywood. You can learn more about our work at scholarsandstorytellers.com or contact us directly here, https://www.scholarsandstorytellers.com/contact-us.