I have a profound interest in transformative education, the research necessary to achieve this, and a commitment to creating inclusive, equitable, and accessible learning environments for all students. My underlying passions lie at the intersection of mental health (through social and emotional development) and elementary education, leading to my fundamental goal of integrating these seemingly disparate domains. Throughout my undergraduate schooling, my son has provided me with a constant source of inspiration and clarity, ultimately leading me to where I am today. It is through the context of his struggles in school (both triumphs and setbacks) that I find the continued motivation to actively engage in questioning underlying core aspects of education. For example: What are the fundamental reasons children must attend school? What do they need to learn to be happy and successful in life? And what teaching methods make the most developmental sense (for each stage of life and ability of the child) - in this time and place in our world? With approximately 11 years of experience working in a range of capacities, from parent volunteer to School Site Council President, in elementary school through high school, I have a unique understanding and perspective of the inner workings of a school and a school district. Through this deep involvement, I came to realize that my son was not the only child struggling with social and emotional development. This realization spurned my desire to return to school in an effort to help as many children as possible. Everything I have accomplished so far has been in the service of my mission to provide all children a safe, equitable, and inclusive place to learn, along with a comprehensively supportive environment for their families and caregivers. In the next five years, I hope to provide meaningful scholarly contributions to the discussion of how to create a core pedagogy that treats mental health awareness and education as an integral and integrated part of a child’s education. This lived experience, along with my degrees in Child and Adolescent Development and Psychology, provide me with a solid foundation from which to begin the next phase of my journey.