Early Childhood Leadership Fellow Spotlight: Emma Ginther

In this Early Childhood Leadership Fellowship spotlight, Groundwork Ohio highlights Emma Ginther, a Franklin County leader whose work is shaped by two decades as an early childhood educator and a deep commitment to children, families, and educators. Through her role with the Franklin County Board of Commissioners’ education team, she is helping advance countywide strategies rooted in community voice, equity, and access.

Q. Tell us about yourself and your current professional role. What kind of work do you do, and who do you serve?

A. Currently I am working at the Franklin County Board of Commissioners with the education team. In this position, I collaborate with a dedicated group to develop and implement county wide strategies that help to strengthen early learning opportunities. A key part of my work involves engaging directly with our community partners, child care providers, and families to understand their needs and experiences. By building these relationships, I help ensure that the strategies we create are not only data-driven but also grounded in the voices of the community. Our goal is to make early learning in Franklin County more equitable, accessible, and responsive to the children and families we serve.

Q.   What made you want to apply for the Early Childhood Leadership Fellowship?

A.    The fellowship opportunity was introduced to me by a former fellow in my office, who encouraged me to apply. I was immediately excited by the chance to deepen my understanding of policy and advocacy within the field of early learning. For me, the fellowship represents not only professional growth, but also an opportunity to strengthen my ability to influence systems, elevate community voices, and contribute to long-term change for children and families.

Q.   What are you most excited to learn, gain, or take away from the Fellowship experience?

A. I am excited to deepen my understanding of early learning policy and advocacy, and to gain practical strategies for creating meaningful changes in Franklin County. I hope to learn from the experiences of fellow participants, expand my professional network, and bring back actionable ideas to support families and educators in Franklin County. Ultimately, I want to strengthen my ability to influence systemic change and help ensure that every child in Franklin County knows that their education is a birth right.

Q.   How did you first hear about or get involved with Groundwork Ohio?

A. As an early childhood educator, a position I had for 20 years, I became aware of Groundwork Ohio’s advocacy efforts through my participation in the CEO Project’s Day Without Child Care.

Q.  What’s one issue or challenge in the early childhood system that you’re passionate about addressing?

A. I am very passionate about worker wage increase in early education. Being forced to leave the field of teaching due to financial hardships and my changing family dynamic I find this issue hits very close to home. I taught for 20 years and never dreamed I would ever leave the classroom. In 2021 my husband was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis causing him to take disability retirement from the state of Ohio and leaving us in a financial slump. I found myself unable to keep my position and be the breadwinner for my family. I left teaching, it was a difficult decision, but I needed to support my family and unfortunately being an PreK teacher could not support us.

Q.   How does your lived experience shape the way you lead or advocate for young children and families?

A. I was raised as a birth child in a foster home, where my family opened its doors to more than 50 children over the course of 20 years. Growing up in that environment gave me a unique perspective and shaped much of who I am today. From an extremely young age, I witnessed the realities of addiction, poverty, and the inequities that exist within the social service system. These early experiences taught me deep lessons about resilience, compassion, and the importance of advocacy for children and families navigating difficult circumstances.

Q.   What do you think is important to help make Ohio the best place to be a young child?

A.    There are three key aspects that I believe would significantly improve the lives of children and families in Ohio. First, every child should have access to high quality early education, ensuring that they are prepared to thrive in school academically, socially, and emotionally. Second, the financial burden of child care should be shared more equitably, with no family spending more than 7% of their income on care. Finally, our educators, who play such a critical role in shaping young children’s futures, must receive fair, livable compensation that reflects both their expertise and the value of their work. Together, these priorities would strengthen families, support the workforce, and create a brighter future for Ohio’s youngest learners.

Q.   How do you hope to use your voice as a leader in this space—now and in the future?

A.    I hope to use my voice as a leader in early childhood education to bridge my lived experience as a classroom teacher with my current role shaping countywide early learning strategies. When I was in the classroom, I saw firsthand how policy decisions directly impacted children, families, and educators. That perspective continues to ground me. I know the voices of educators and families need to be at the table, and I want to help carry those voices forward in spaces where decisions are made. My hope is that my leadership voice remains rooted in authenticity and reflection: a reminder that policy is not abstract, but deeply personal, shaping the lives of children, families, and the educators who nurture them every day.