LaShorage Shaffer

LaShorage Shaffer is an Associate Professor in Early Childhood/Early Childhood Special Education at the University of Michigan-Dearborn's Department of Education, within the College of Education, Health, and Human Services. She holds a PhD in Special Education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her research focuses on personnel preparation for professionals in educational and medical fields serving marginalized young children, children with disabilities, culturally responsive practices, social-emotional development, challenging behavior, policy issues, and professional development.

Dr. Shaffer has over 20 years of experience in teaching, mentoring, curriculum development, program leadership, and research dissemination. She actively contributes to field initiatives through roles on multiple boards and committees, including the Children's Center for Communication, Autism Alliance of Michigan, Special Education Coalition of Michigan, Early EdU Advisory Council, and the Division for Early Childhood (national level, currently President-elect).