(she/her)

Growing up in San Clemente, CA, Emma spent her childhood surfing, lap-swimming, camping, and immersed in the outdoors. Her passion and excitement for being outside has carried into her professional and personal life as an adult. She currently resides in San Diego with her husband, and two dogs. Emma’s hobbies include surfing, gardening, bird watching, riding bikes, supporting local businesses, working on puzzles, spending time with family and friends, and reading. 

Emma graduated summa cum laude with her bachelor’s degree in early education and care with a minor in sociology from Salem State University in Salem, Massachusetts. Through her passion for early childhood education and social-emotional development, she pursued graduate school at San Diego State University where she received her master’s in child development. During her master’s program, Emma completed a thesis titled: “Examining the relationship between social-emotional teaching practices and quality teacher-child interactions in the early childhood classroom.” 

Emma has been an early childhood educator for the past six years, working in various indoor and outdoor programs, and working with children and families from diverse backgrounds. She is committed to supporting young children in developing their social-emotional skills through problem-solving, risky play, autonomy, collaboration, and an emergent curriculum. Emma strongly believes that the early years are a critical period for children to develop foundational skills across their different domains of development that can carry on with them later in life. Through Emma’s teaching practices and philosophy, she hopes to support and instill within children a connection and respect for nature, and to become stewards of protecting it.