Emis Akbari is a Professor at the School of Early Childhood at George Brown College. She evaluates policy at all levels of government. Emis is also the co-author of the Early Childhood Education Report, examining provincial and territorial preschool services and performance on different criteria including access to child care programs and investments in early education in Canada. It also compares Canada to other developed economies. She is committed to evidence-based change in policy and global development and its connection to improving early child education, development and outcomes.

Daniel Foster is a graduate student at the University of Toronto and a part-time professor at the School of Early Childhood of George Brown College. His research interests include developmental psychology and educational policy, particularly, investigating the paradigms that influence policy development and reformation across the different levels of government.

Maria Hannah Hernandez is currently in her final year at George Brown College pursuing an Honours Bachelor of Early Childhood Leadership degree. She has formed a strong interest in research-informed social and educational policy, and advocacy for the early childhood education sector. Hannah is currently completing an internship at the Atkinson Centre, where she contributes to research, referencing, and organizing events. She enjoys working with children immensely and finds learning from them in return just as rewarding.

Dr. Ella Karia recently taught Full Day Kindergarten in Ontario public schools as an Ontario Certified Teacher. Along with her post-doctoral fellowship she honed skills both as an educator and researcher for over the past ten years and authored the book, Fostering Creativity. Dr. Karia continues to pursue innovative early years educational research projects at the University of Toronto.

Kerry McCuaig is the Fellow in Early Childhood Policy at the Atkinson Centre at OISE. She is co-author of Early Childhood Education Report and has evaluated early years programs across Canada. Kerry is a frequent speaker and an advisor on early years policy.

Stacey Mudie is the Administrative, Project, and Communications Coordinator at the Atkinson Centre at OISE.

André Plamondon is an associate professor at Université Laval’s Faculty of Education. He is interested in developmental psychopathology and, in particular, identifying and understanding the mechanisms through which childhood experiences in various contexts may have short and long term consequences for children’s adjustment, for better or for worse.

Alexi Solway is a registered Early Childhood Educator and student intern at the Atkinson Centre. Her interests include research, advocacy, social policy, and more particularly how policy impacts the early years (or children and their families) as well as the Social Determinants of Health. Alexi is committed to informed practice and social justice, and is passionate about children’s rights, equity and inclusion. Alexi graduated as a Deans Honours student with a Diploma in Early Childhood Education in the spring of 2018 and is currently completing her final year in the Honours Bachelor of Early Childhood Leadership program at George Brown College.