Dr. Lissanna Follari (PhD, CTP-E) has been working with and for young children and families for 23 years. She began her teaching career with infants and toddlers, and has worked in classrooms throughout infant- elementary grades. Lissanna has spent the past 18 years as an Early Childhood Education college faculty. Her work focuses on diversity studies, trauma informed care, and innovative approaches to inclusive early care and education, and she actively participates with numerous community agencies and schools advocating for high quality practices in inclusive early care and education. Lissanna has authored two books: Foundations and Best Practices in ECE and Valuing Diversity in Early Childhood, and her research and scholarship focus on diversity and social emotional learning in early childhood. She joined the College of Education at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs in January 2014. Lissanna lives in Cascade Colorado, USA with her young son, and they spend most of their free time in the mountains and exploring our great outdoors.