Holly hails from Wisconsin where she grew up immersed in the world of early childhood education thanks to her parents’ family-owned and operated preschool! She recently completed her M.A. at the Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Study and Human Development at Tufts. As part of her graduate work, Holly completed an internship at the Somerville Family Learning Collaborative during which she provided early childhood mental health consultation to local childcare centers in Somerville. As a teacher with a background in mental health, she views each person in the school community (teachers, children and family members) as having mental health needs which should be supported at school. She believes the most important job of early childhood educators is to create a classroom climate where children know that they are loved, respected and supported so they may do the important work of childhood: playing and learning! In her free time, Holly enjoys scouring thrift stores for vintage decor or interesting classroom materials and continuing her eternal search for the best donut!