Emily Adams

Emily J. Adams is a Director at Watershed Advisors, where she leads initiatives to strengthen systems that support young children and their families.

Previously, Emily served as a policy associate for Child Development and Early Childhood Programs at the American Public Human Services Association, acting as the staff liaison to the National Association of State Child Care Administrators.

Throughout her career, Emily has served as a subject matter expert providing training and technical assistance on child development, program implementation, and workforce support for professionals working with pregnant women, infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and their families. She has contributed to several National Centers, including the National Center on Parent, Family and Community Engagement, the National Center on Early Childhood Development, Teaching, and Learning, and the Early Head Start National Resource Center.

Emily has designed and disseminated training materials for Head Start, Early Head Start, Migrant and Seasonal Head Start, and child care programs across the country. Her work also includes consulting on state-level strategic planning and contributing to national policy briefs focused on early childhood systems.

A Buell Early Childhood Leadership Program alumna, Emily was named an Exceptional Emerging Leader by the Exchange Leadership Initiative. She holds a Master of Arts in Early Childhood Education from the University of Colorado Denver, where she was honored as the program’s Outstanding Graduate.