Emily was first elected to Burlingame City Council in 2015 and re-elected in 2019. After graduating from the University of Notre Dame, Emily served as a U.S. Army officer in Saudi Arabia, South Korea, and Texas.

Later, she worked as a business executive in Silicon Valley, nonprofit leader, and community volunteer.  She serves as the Chairperson of the San Mateo County Transportation Authority, Vice Chair of Commute.org, and Vice Chair of the Caltrain Local Policy Makers Group. At the State level, Emily serves on the Board of Directors for the League of California Cities. In her free time, Emily loves playing guitar and spending time outdoors cycling and backpacking with her two teenagers and husband.