Ayesha Rabadi-Raol

Ayesha Rabadi-Raol is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Early Childhood Studies at Sonoma State University. With over two decades of teaching experience across India, Canada, and the United States, she brings a global, justice-oriented lens to early childhood teacher education.

Education

• Ed.D. in Early Childhood Teacher Education, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York
• M.A. in Early Childhood Education: General and Special Education (Dual Certification), Teachers College, Columbia University, New York
• B.F.A. (Bachelor of Fine Arts), Sir J.J. Institute of Applied Art, Mumbai, India

Research Interests

Dr. Rabadi-Raol’s scholarship centers on equity and justice in early childhood education. She critically examines how pedagogies of power and privilege operate within classrooms and teacher-preparation programs. Her work foregrounds the lived experiences of intersectionally minoritized children and teachers of color, amplifying their voices through anti-racist, critical multicultural, and raciolinguistic lenses. She is especially interested in the role of storytelling, arts integration, and children’s literature as transformative tools for social justice in the early years.

Recent Scholarly Trajectory

Across her 2018–2021 publications, Dr. Rabadi-Raol interrogates dominant narratives in early childhood policy, classroom materials, teacher certification, and pandemic-era teaching. Collectively, these works advance a critical reconceptualization of quality, equity, and teacher well-being, while uplifting immigrant, transnational, and racially minoritized educators’ voices.

Advising & Grants

While specific funded projects and advisee lists are not detailed in the provided materials, her extensive teaching record and collaborative publications indicate ongoing mentorship and grant activity aligned with equity-focused early childhood initiatives.

Labs & Collaborations

Dr. Rabadi-Raol frequently co-authors with scholars such as Mariana Souto-Manning and collaborates on interdisciplinary teams exploring teacher mental health, classroom storytelling, and policy reform, situating her work at the intersection of practice, research, and social justice advocacy.