Dr. Emily Hernandez brings over 20 years of experience working in public education and mental health.  Her professional background includes working directly with schools, families, and communities including child welfare and attendance, counseling, K-12, administration, clinical mental health, employee assistance services in education, and counselor preparation/education. She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with areas of expertise in working with children, couples and families, educators, victims of violence, trauma, and crisis counseling. As a leader in the field, she has presented locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally and has authored a variety of scholarly work. She has participated in leadership organizational decision making through board and advisory memberships and has served by advocating for the need for mental health services in education in various capacities. She brings a unique lens to working with educators and school systems understanding the importance of bridging the gap towards more access to mental health in prevention and intervention in education. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a master’s degree in Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy and School Counseling from Cal State University, Los Angeles, and a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership focusing on educational psychology from USC.