Emily grew up in rural Southwest Pennsylvania, many miles away from the nearest coast.

Her fascination with the world’s oceans came later in life, while binge-watching David Attenborough-narrated nature documentaries. After earning a bachelor’s degree in journalism & mass communications and global cultural studies from Point Park University in Pittsburgh, her hometown newspaper hired her to write about the environmental and community-wide impacts of fracking. She later moved to Asia, where she worked for several years as a writer and editor in Hanoi, Vietnam and Hong Kong.

Her articles have been published by Lonely Planet, The Guardian, and a number of local newspapers and magazines. Prior to joining Oceana in June 2019, Emily was a staff writer for the website Mental Floss. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, reading, exploring the city, and hunting down the best dumplings in town.