Dr. Cindy Ratekin

Cindy Ratekin is the Chair of the Department of Child Development and a full professor in Child Development member at California State University, Chico.  She has served as a faculty member at this University since 1991 and began serving Department Chair in 2008. She received her Ph.D. in Educational Psychology at UCLA in 1990 with a specialization in Early Childhood Special Education. 

Dr. Ratekin has spent the majority of her career directly involved with the children and their families. This includes her role as the director Child Development Laboratory, a nationally accredited state-licensed center at California State University, Chico, for more than 10 years. She has been involved in international work with children and families, particularly with the Japanese culture.

She has taught a wide range of advanced core child development coursework, including courses in the online format. Since becoming the Chair of the Department of Child Development in 2008, student advising and administration have been a focus.  These activities provide her the opportunity to create experiences for students to demonstrate independent and life long learning. 

Cindy lives near her large family.  She is married to Gary Bess and has two children and two grandchildren, Mira who has born in 2016 and Brody who was born in 2017.  They are the light of her life.