Emily Plank has worked as a family child care provider, mentor, and adult educator, and as a writer and consultant on workshop presentations and interactive keynotes for educators and families. Her specialties include play-based education, diversity and culture in early childhood education, respectful guidance and discipline, and outdoor learning. In 2011, the Iowa Association for the Education of Young Children identified Emily as one of seven emerging leaders in the field of early childhood education. She earned her bachelor's degree from Pepperdine University and has lived in various locations around the world. She and her family currently reside in Lausanne, Switzerland.