Emily began her professional journey with a bachelor’s degree in counseling. Her first role after graduation was as a foster care case manager, where she managed a caseload of up to 30 children, supported families through complex challenges, and handled the demands of 24/7 on-call responsibilities.

After exploring industries including education and hospitality, Emily discovered an unexpected fit in people-focused roles at startups. She joined her first startup as employee #7 and quickly advanced from administrative support to leading HR and recruitment efforts. Emily doubled the team size, established equitable hiring practices, and implemented foundational processes for payroll, employee handbooks, and financial operations.

Currently, Emily leads Talent and HR at Synex Medical, where she has grown the team from 13 to over 30 employees. Her work has led to a 28% average job description conversion rate, candidate NPS score of 86, and 15% increase in employee retention. Emily has introduced scalable systems for recruitment, onboarding, and salary benchmarking while fostering an inclusive and thoughtful work environment.

Outside of work, Emily channels her creativity through pottery, gardening, and singing. She spends time reading sci-fi and fantasy novels, hosting friends, and advocating for causes like climate action and human rights. Her blend of empathy, critical thinking, and commitment to inclusivity has helped her build trust with her colleagues and cultivate thriving, people-first organizations.