Melissa Yarczower is a Visiting Assistant Professor in Early Childhood and Early Childhood Special Education at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She obtained a Ph.D. in special education with a focus on early childhood/early childhood special education from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Before this role, Melissa was a licensed early childhood teacher and an early childhood special education coach for 12 years. Her classroom and coaching experiences allow her to bring valuable, field-based insights to her university students. These experiences have also shaped her research agenda in teacher preparation, teacher pathways, and social-emotional development. She currently teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in alternate and accelerated routes to licensure programs. She is dedicated to advancing the preparation and professional development of early childhood educators, particularly in social-emotional development and inclusive practices for young children with disabilities. Her research interests encompass teacher preparation pathways, inclusive fieldwork, early childhood teacher preparation, and strategies for teaching social-emotional skills and addressing challenging behaviors. Melissa actively contributes to the field through publications, conference presentations, and service roles, including her work as the coordinator of the early childhood paraprofessional pathways program and as a member of the Publications and Products Advisory Committee for the Council for Exceptional Children: Division for Early Childhood.