Emily was introduced to community-oriented agriculture while working for her godparents’ produce stands at farmers markets during middle school and high school. This taught her the importance of localized food systems and sustainable farming practices, as well as the vital role farmers markets play in building stronger neighborhoods. 

She studied international relations and politics in college while continuing to work as a market vendor for her godparents’ farm. Emily was also involved in bringing a weekly farmers market to her university’s campus through her elected position in student government. In this role, she also helped organize the student body to demand their university’s endowment be divested from the fossil fuel industry. 

Emily spent her first year out of college working as a cheesemonger in a local cheese shop, during which time she also worked on a Congressional campaign in her hometown. Before joining the OFJ, she worked on farms in California and Massachusetts.