My Story

 With over 15 years of experience as an educator, I’ve seen the transformative power of emotional intelligence (EQ) in shaping students, educators, and families. Starting as a K-5 and special education teacher, my mission now focuses on equipping educators and youth professionals with the tools to lead with empathy, resilience, and self-awareness.

My own journey began in the classroom, where I was inspired by the challenges and triumphs of working with diverse groups of students across urban, suburban, and rural settings. Over time, I realized that supporting kids wasn’t just about addressing their needs directly—it was about empowering the adults in their lives to show up as their best selves. This insight came to life during moments like helping a struggling student find their voice or witnessing a teacher’s epiphany about how their own self-awareness could transform their classroom dynamics.

Recently, I spent two transformative days with a small group of teachers in southern Indiana, guiding them through sharing their epiphany stories, articulating their core values, and crafting their personal "why" statements. We explored emotional triggers, reactions to student behaviors, and actionable goals to improve their classrooms and personal lives. This experience reinforced how vital it is to focus on both adults and kids in the journey toward emotional growth.

This passion inspired the Dual EQ Model, empowering adults to become emotional role models for children. I believe that when adults grow their own EQ, they unlock the potential to build stronger relationships, create emotionally safe environments, and model the behaviors kids need to thrive. This ripple effect transforms not only classrooms but also entire communities.

My vision is to build a world where every child is supported by emotionally intelligent adults. By 2034, I aim to empower 1 million kid-adjacent adults as EQ Champions, positively impacting 10 million children worldwide. This mission is supported by a unique 6-year leadership pipeline designed to cultivate the next generation of educational leaders.

Emily Dills – Founder and CEO