Emily is the current Chief Executive of Down Syndrome NSW and brings 20 years of executive leadership expertise in the disability, child protection, foreign affairs and corporate sectors, both nationally and internationally. Emily is known for her strategic vision, operational optimisation and business development acumen.

Some of her extensive experience includes Policy Director at National Disability Services, Executive Advisor to the NSW Department of Finance, Services and Innovation, an advisor to Dementia Australia on quality care in response to the Royal Commission, Deputy CEO of the Australian Chamber of Commerce Hong Kong, Macau and China as well as Executive Leader Strategy at Lifestyle Solutions, and Strategic Projects Director at Achieve Australia.

Recently, Emily founded Australia’s first Down Syndrome Institute for research and medical care. She also sits on NSW Health’s Disability Community of Practice, NSW Department of Communities and Justice’s Disability Advocacy Futures Advisory Committee, Disability Network CEO Group, and Disability Stakeholder Advisory Committee. In addition to these roles, Emily is a Committee Member of the NDIA’s Digital Community of Interest and the GeneEQUAL Advisory Board. In 2023, Emily was the recipient of the Disability Sector, Leadership Award, hosted by the National Disability Leadership Organisation (NDLO). The award recognised Emily’s exceptional leadership skills, and positive impact on the disability sector

Emily is President of Rafiki Mwema, a charity in Kenya providing housing, schooling, court support, therapeutic care and community outreach services to children who have been sexually assaulted.

Emily has lived experience of disability and is very close with her sister Lucy, who has severe intellectual disability. Emily has been published recently in the Daily Telegraph sharing the story of future planning for her sister and is passionate about ensuring that siblings have a seat at the table and their unique perspectives are heard. Emily also presented as keynote speaker at the National Disability Summit in Melbourne and the DSC Annual NDIS Conference in Sydney in 2023, raising the critical issue of siblings as necessary partners within the disability ecosystem and future landscape.