Zlata Stankovic-Ramirez, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Child Development at Texas Woman’s University. With over 20 years of experience, she has served as a teacher, director, mentor, and higher education instructor. Her work is grounded in the belief that children learn through play in meaningful, well-designed environments. A long-time member of NAEYC, she has contributed to the Dallas Chapter of TXAEYC and serves on the editorial board of the Southern Early Childhood Association (SECA). Her research focuses on physical environments, developmentally appropriate practice, play, and developmental cascades.