Elise Touris Pas

Elise Touris Pas, PhD, MA, is a Research Professor in the Department of Mental Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Her work bridges research, policy, and practice to advance evidence-based preventive interventions in schools, with a focus on social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes for youth.

Her educational background includes a PhD and MA from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a BA from the State University of New York at Binghamton. She has been central to advancing the implementation of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), Multi-tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), and Social Emotional Learning (SEL), particularly through coaching models for teachers and school teams. Her research emphasizes implementation fidelity, cost analysis, and equity, often involving randomized controlled trials and state-level policy evaluations.

Her recent research trends reflect a deepening focus on equity, cultural responsivity, and student wellness, including the development of the R-CITY and Well Connected© interventions. She also contributes to autism surveillance and suicide prevention initiatives. Her work frequently involves collaboration with practitioners and policymakers, particularly in Maryland, where she supports PBIS leadership and dissemination.

• Journal of School Psychology, Article of the Year, 2019
• Journal of School Psychology, Nomination for Article of the Year, 2015
• Association of Positive Behavior Supports Ted E. Carr Initial Researcher Award, 2011-2012
• School Psychology Review 2011 Article of the Year, Honorable Mention
• Child, Intervention, Prevention and Services (CHIPS) Fellow, 2010-2011

Dr. Pas actively mentors students and collaborates on numerous research projects, though specific advisees are not publicly listed. She contributes to professional development across Maryland and translates research into practice through briefs and training. She leads or participates in major research-practice partnerships and has been involved in large-scale national studies, including autism surveillance through the CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network.