Emma Herdean, EdD, is a senior fellow with Attendance Works where she supports district and school-level structures and best practice implementation to increase student attendance and engagement. Emma brings deep expertise and experience working with nonprofit organizations, family literacy programs, traditional public and charter schools, and community partnerships. Emma uses these skills, developed over the past 20 years, in her current work of helping to reduce chronic absence in many states.

Before joining Attendance Works, Emma provided oversight for school-based family literacy programs and the implementation of the Community Schools model in Detroit, Michigan. She also led a network of summer and out-of-school time providers and K-12 districts in Detroit to promote increased attendance and academic success. Emma is fully trilingual, and she regularly volunteers in children and youth programs, as well as with immigrant communities. She holds a BA in English and an M.A. in linguistics from Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago, and an EdD in organizational leadership from Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan. Emma and her family reside in the Detroit metro area.