Dr. Diana Cedeño is a research scientist who studies the intersection of poverty, exclusion, and the possibilities of community engagement among Latinx families in the United States. Drawing on a rich transnational and translingual background, she has emerged as a leading figure in the field who consistently contributes to the understanding and advancement of U.S. Latinx families.

Dr. Cedeño has headed investigations that have shaped the discourse around the definitions, consequences, and general understanding of poverty and social exclusion, particularly among Latinx families. She is a former tenure track assistant professor at Southern Illinois University whose work incorporates a strength-based view, which underscores the human capacity for resilience, resistance, courage, thriving, and ingenuity while also advocating for the rights of individuals. She offers unique interdisciplinary expertise in applying economics and sociology toward family science. Although she specializes in both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, Dr. Cedeño‘s passion is centered on action research methodologies—and especially on feminist action research. She uses these methodologies to answer a range of research questions that expand the field’s understanding of the dimensions of social exclusion (e.g., economic, societal), and of the possibilities of inclusion (e.g., resilience, agency) via interventions and community engagement. She also has ample experience in nonprofits, both in New Jersey and Illinois. Finally, Dr. Cedeño‘s work has been featured in prestigious journals and at conferences such as NCFR, AERA, and SRCD.

Dr. Cedeño holds a PhD in family science and human development from Montclair State University, an MA in sociology and social justice from Kean University, and a BA in economics from Universidad del Valle. At a personal level, she finds joy in spending time with her family and friends, cooking, traveling, baking, biking, and visiting museums.