Dr. Nava Silton, PH.D., Associate Professor of Psychology
-Advisory Board of Gan Aliya
Silton, a Developmental Psychologist, received her B.S. from Cornell University in 2002 and her M.A. and Ph.D. from Fordham University in 2009. Silton has worked at Nickelodeon, Sesame Street Workshop, and Mediakidz. She has taught undergraduate and graduate psychology courses at Fordham University, Hunter College, Touro College and is now an Associate Professor of Psychology at Marymount Manhattan College. She served as a Postdoctoral Templeton Fellow at the Spears Research Institute from 2009-2010, and has recently consulted on projects conducted by the Autism Seaver Center, Sesame Street Workshop and Netflix.
Silton's primary research interests include determining how to: (1) Enhance typical children's sensitivity to children with disabilities, (2) Teach social-emotional and cognitive skills to children with disabilities, how to (3) Harness Assistive Technology to meet the needs of individuals with disabilities and (4) Explore the interface between religion and health.
Silton has published over a dozen articles in the area of religion and health and has published her most recent peer-reviewed journal articles and edited books in the areas of disabilities, media and creativity. Nava published her first book, Innovative Technologies to Benefit Children with Autism, in March 2014; her second edited book, Recent Advances in Assistive Technologies to Support Children with Developmental Disorders, in June 2015; her third edited book, Exploring the Benefits of Creativity in Education, Media and the Arts, in June 2016; and her fourth, Family Dynamics and Romantic Relationships in a Changing Society, in June 2017.
She is currently testing her children's television show, Addy & Uno and her graphic novel series, Realabilities, in dozens of schools across the country. Addy & Uno and Realabilities celebrate the wondrous abilities within disability and showcase five characters with disabilities (Autism, ADHD, Physical Disability, Visual Impairment and Hearing Impairment), who harness their special strengths to solve exciting mysteries and unite to rehabilitate bullies in their school. Unfortunately, there is a paucity of favorable coverage of disabilities in children's media and literature. Addy & Uno and Realabilities intend to fill this significant void in children's media and literature so that individuals with disabilities can see themselves represented positively on-screen, and typical children and adults can become increasingly knowledgeable, sensitive and interested in their peers with disabilities. Therefore, much of Silton's work focuses on disability awareness via programming and on promoting a stop bullying platform in schools.
Additionally, Nava is a Psychology point person for Fox 5 News and NBC News. Silton is also a weekly coach for Special Olympics Gymnastics, helps run weekly Jewish learning and visiting the sick programs, and chairs a variety of fundraising initiatives in Manhattan. Nava is married to Dr. Ariel Brandwein, a Pediatric ICU fellow at LIJ Medical Center, and is the proud mother of three wonderful little guys, Judah, Jonah and Jacob Brandwein.