Julie A. Ray (Ph.D., University of Missouri, Columbia) is a professor of Education and Department Chairperson at Southeast Missouri State University. She has been in the field of early childhood and elementary education for over 31 years. As a primary grades teacher and librarian, she worked hard to develop positive relationships with the families of her students. As a teacher educator in Early Childhood Education at two different four-year universities, she has taught both undergraduate and graduate level courses in family engagement, as well as done numerous presentations and publications on collaborating with diverse families.