Emily Vera (she/her)
Director of Child Care
Early Childhood Educator,
Special Needs, Bachelor of Fine Arts
Emily is the co-founder and Director of Terra Nova Nature School. As a child, she spent countless hours wandering the forests and fields of Vermont, where she discovered the magic of slow, unstructured time outdoors. She believes the landscape and the more-than-human spark creativity, imagination, and deep learning Today, Emily is passionate about growing a community that cares for one another and for the earth, honoring the wisdom of those who have tended these lands before us and those who continue to do so now. She is grateful to live and work on the unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations (Vancouver).
Emily holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a Specialization in Theatre performance from Concordia University, as well as an Early Childhood Special Education Certificate. She has been teaching in early years programs for over 30 years. Her work is focused on connection and relationships, braiding children and families, educators and place together.
In her free time, Emily can often be found cooking in the kitchen, tending her garden, or caring for her bees. She cherishes being a “mom-friend” to her two adventurous adult children and going for Hong Kong style breakfasts with her amazing husband.
“I am an Elvis Fan- and I don’t just mean listening to his music. I have been to a dozen impersonators, collected all sorts of kitschy paraphernalia (think figurines that move and sing, calendars, a whole shelf of books) and even had a costume (worn on several occasions). On a road trip with my son to New Orleans back in 2018, we went to Graceland for a day and stayed in the Graceland Hotel. In the past few years I have kept my love of his music but have passed on all the bits and bobs to other Elvis fanatics.”
Meet Our Educators
Mailing Address
5151 Granville Avenue
Richmond BC V7E 4E3
