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Emily has always had a passion for expanding access to opportunities and breaking down barriers for BIPOC, disabled, and LGBTQ+ communities. She knew she wanted to be a social worker early on, as she had grown up in an abusive household and lived in her car for a majority of her teenage years. The system had failed her – and she didn’t want it to continue failing anyone else. Emily started her career as a child welfare caseworker in the state of Utah, primarily working on domestic violence cases, before eventually moving back to Washington and continued her career as a social worker in various roles. She saw firsthand, from both her own upbringing and from her clients, how the system was designed to perpetuate cycles and work against those most marginalized. Emily earned a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Washington, where she first discovered her love of policy work. She is also coming from 3-years of experience at the state legislature, having worked for Rep. Nicole Macri, as well as Rep. Orwall and Rep. Rule. She also is a contracted trainer for the Criminal Justice Training Commission working with officers who respond to gender-based violence to ensure they are using trauma-informed practices when engaging with survivors. Outside of work, you can find Emily backpacking in the mountains, curling up with her cat Stella and a book, or walking PNW beaches with family. Emily identifies as a mixed race (although white passing), queer person who uses she/they pronouns.