Emily brings six years of invaluable experience in the nonprofit sector, centered on empowering the youth of Fresno County. Her commitment to community engagement and collaboration has been pivotal in orchestrating impactful events, fostering partnerships with local governments, school districts, and cultural hubs in Fresno County.
Currently, Emily serves as the Fresno County Director of Programs where she oversees Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI) Programs, Redefining Equity Through Policy 559 (REP 559) programming, and The kNOw youth storytelling programs. The PEI program prioritizes young people in Fresno County between the ages of 12-24 to create positive social change in order to tackle underage substance use. This programming currently expands as far east as Orange Cove High School and as far west as San Joaquin Elementary. The REP 559 Program focuses on policy change across Fresno County including mental health access, transportation justice, and social determinants of health. REP 559 is open to Fresno County residents between the ages of 16-24. The kNOw Youth Media houses all Fresno County journalism and storytelling programs including Journalists of Color, Betting on Our Future, Multilingual Storytelling, and Fresno Youth Artivism.
Emily currently serves as co-chair of the Fresno Unified Latinx Graduation and has played an integral leadership role since its creation in 2022. This graduation is near and dear to her heart as she was able to support youth in making this a potential policy change to a cultural shift within the Fresno area. She is also a board member for Proteus Inc., a non-profit that supports farmerworks, their families, and workforce development within the Central Valley. Emily is a recent graduate of the HOPE Leadership Institute, Class of 2024. She is excited to continue to build community and political power among Latina women in the Central Valley.
“I hope my legacy is about the doors I opened for my community.” – Issa Rae