I am an assistant professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE). As a faculty member, I teach courses in our early childhood education undergraduate program and in our Curriculum and Instruction masters program. I am also an IMPACT trainer, supporting efforts to advance Anti-Bias principles on the campus. Prior to joining SIUE, I worked in the Department of Special Education at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign on two state funded projects: the Illinois Early Learning Project and the Early Intervention Clearinghouse. Over the course of my career, I have worked in a variety of roles in the early childhood system as a teacher, director, teacher educator, and child care resource professional. I completed my doctorate in Human Development and Family Studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. My current work focuses on social and emotional foundations for early academic success, anti-bias principles, and family partnerships. My goal is to help parents and early educators by providing evidence-based resources on child development and early learning. I enjoy engaging in applied work that help professionals and communities put research evidence into practice.