Stephen Quintana

Stephen Quintana is a Professor in the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, specializing in Counseling Psychology. Formerly an Associate Professor at the University of Texas at Austin and a Ford Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow, his career spans over three decades. He holds a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Notre Dame (1989) and completed a predoctoral internship at Penn State University. Quintana’s research focuses on ethnic-racial identity development in youth, particularly among marginalized groups like African American and Mexican American communities. He has pioneered studies on bi/multiracial Black youth experiences, Latino immigrant identity narratives, and the role of cultural competence in educational and clinical settings.

His work integrates developmental, social, and clinical psychology to address systemic inequities. Key contributions include conceptualizing lifespan ethnic-racial identity models and analyzing peer/policy impacts on identity formation. Quintana serves as Associate Editor for Child Development and Journal of Counseling Psychology, and led the Wisconsin Partnership Grant with Centro Hispano. Awards include the Gimbel Child and Family Scholar designation and multiple AWARD recognitions.

• Education: PhD Counseling Psychology (Notre Dame, 1989), MA Psychology (Notre Dame, 1986), BA Psychology (Carleton College, 1983)
• Research Labs/Teams: Collaborates with Centro Hispano on community-based projects and leads UW-Madison’s multicultural education initiatives
• Grants: Wisconsin Partnership Grant, Ford Foundation Fellowship

Quintana’s presentations at APA conventions highlight his commitment to teacher multicultural training and addressing educational disparities through psychological frameworks. His work bridges academic research with practical applications to empower marginalized youth through culturally responsive interventions.