Emily graduated from Old Dominion University in 2016 with a B.S. in Parks and Recreation Management with a double minor in Biology and Public Service. While in college, she completed a study abroad in Belize researching parrotfish feeding habits and also volunteered with Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge assisting with turtle nest sittings. After graduating, she began observing for the North Pacific Groundfish Observer Program, deploying on mothership processors and factory trawlers out of Dutch Harbor, AK. After a year in Alaska, she transferred to the Pacific Islands Regional Observer Program and observed in both the tuna and swordfish fisheries. While living in Hawai'i and in between observer deployments, she worked with Mālama Maunalua removing invasive algae species from Maunalua Bay. After two years in Hawai'i, she transitioned to PSO work in Texas on a dredge vessel monitoring for potential protected species interactions. In 2020, Emily started working as an instructor for the Northeast Observer Program where she worked primarily with Electronic Monitoring and the safety program. In 2022, she began working as an instructor with Coonamessett Farm Foundation for the At-Sea Monitoring Program. In her spare time, Emily enjoys hiking, rock climbing, thrifting, and taking care of her plants.

​