Emilie Dupont, M.Ed.
Emilie grew up in Oakland, California. She holds a master's degree in Early Childhood Special Education from the University of Washington and a bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of Puget Sound. She is an educator working in early support for infants and toddlers, as a service provider for children under age 3 and their families. For over a decade, Emilie has taught toddlers at the Experimental Education Unit, which is part of the Haring Center for Inclusive Education at the University of Washington in Seattle. Prior to that, she worked in research for several years at the University of Washington Autism Center. Emilie values collaboration and ongoing learning. She has mentored many pre‐service teachers, participated and presented as a Hub member in a collaboration‐focused Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) group, and is currently leading a Community of Practice for early childhood mentor coaches in King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties in Washington state. As an early childhood special educator, her career has focused on creating inclusive early learning settings where all children can thrive and all families are welcomed and celebrated. She believes it is our responsibility as early childhood professionals to create supportive environments where meaningful connections are forged and children’s unique needs are met. While Emilie has spent much of the last decade in a toddler classroom, she currently also works with families one‐on‐one in home and community settings as well as virtually, providing coaching and support to help families work toward their priority goals. Mealtime‐related challenges and goals have come up consistently as a priority for families, and Emilie enjoys partnering with families to meet their child’s needs and work toward their mealtime vision as a family.
When she is not working, Emilie loves cooking with her son and husband and bringing people together for any type of celebration. Growing up, food was a central part of family gatherings, and cooking is one way Emilie likes to show care for her friends, neighbors, and family. She loves connecting with others and learning about people’s cultural and family histories through food. Emilie hopes that this book will allow you to learn something about yourself and the children and families you work with, build community through mealtime, and take steps to affirm, accommodate, and appreciate the individual strengths, interests, and needs of every child.