Throughout her time at GHD, Emily has focused her studies on the inclusion of marginalized populations. As an indigenous Chamoru palao’an, she understands the urgency to work with and for groups that have been left out of development, as well as the need for recognition and to shift power and decisions back into their hands.

In addition to her coursework, Emily is working on her capstone project in gender-lens investing in the climate and energy sectors. She is also serving as a Social Justice Assistant for GHD. For her summer internship as a 2021 Payne Fellow, she supported projects in democracy, human rights, and governance at the USAID Mission in Tbilisi, Georgia. She hopes to continue working with marginalized communities and on DEI issues in her career as a Foreign Service Officer for USAID.

Prior to GHD, Emily was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mozambique. She holds bachelor’s degrees in International Studies and German from the University of Wyoming, and the study abroad opportunities she had at UW set her on the path she is on today. She speaks German, Indonesian, Portuguese, and Chamoru.