Her Story
About Emily
I have been in my field for over 17 years, starting in research in 2007. My current role is as a projects manager at Emory University in the School of Medicine, which I started a month ago. Previously, I served as a public health program associate at Emory University in the Environmental Health Department in the Rollins School of Public Health for over 4 years, starting in 2021. My typical day involves managing 3 projects and working with colleagues who are responsible for other aspects of these projects. My main role is to make sure that all the project deliverables are accomplished on time, and also to offer guidance where people find difficulties or if my colleagues need clarification on aspects within that project. I'm also responsible for tracking project outcomes as well as project activities. What inspired me to get into my field is based on where I grew up. I come from a small village in Kenya, and before coming to the U.S., I lived almost all my life in Kenya. Some of the challenges that I faced as I was growing up really informed my way of thinking and my ability to be inquisitive. I used to walk 5 kilometers to collect water, and 5 kilometers back, carrying 10 liters, which at the end of the day would not get home with the 10 liters, maybe 7 liters. When I was in primary school, every week a kid or two would be sick with diarrhea. As I continued getting to learn more, I would really see how these diarrheal episodes were linked to the kind of water that we were using and also hygiene in general. Just having to see this and trying and linking all that was happening to safe water and hygiene, I got to want to learn and get to know more about that. And so that is how I got inspired into getting into research.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Emily
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my mentors who've been around me from the time that I started working in the WASH or research field. One thing that kept me going is that I have been surrounded with great mentors or great colleagues who've always shown me the path and who've always been there to redirect me and give me a little bit of a push where they think or they know that I have strength in. I think that is one thing that has really made me move or get to where I am right now. One of my greatest mentors is Dr. Matthew Freeman. I knew Dr. Matthew Freeman in 2006 when he came to Kenya to lead a study on WASH in public primary schools. And that is when my career really started. And he's held my hands, and he's guided me, and directed me, and he's been mentoring me up to this point.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice that I've ever received is identifying my interest and focusing on that, on my interests, and doing what I like doing most. I think this has really helped me in reshaping my focus. That is one thing that has also helped me, like, having to maintain focusing on doing work around research.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
One advice that I would give to young women getting into this industry is to keep on pushing and keep on working hard, and also know that they are unique in one way or the other, and they should not be discouraged because of pushbacks, but rather get the key lessons from such pushbacks and continue moving on and pushing on. One thing I want young girls from developing communities or under-resourced communities to know is that actually it is possible to rise, it is possible to do what you want to do. I would want my life, or whatever I do, to be an encouragement to young girls that it is really possible when you put that effort, and you have that commitment, and the passion to do it.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge right now is the funding opportunities. With all these changes, my field has been hit hard. There's a lot of change in priorities in terms of funding, and so that leaves a little bit of no room for people who do not have a lot of networks or who do not know which button to press in order to expand and keep on moving. Also, if one is not ready to change their trajectory, then that becomes a little bit of a challenge. So my main challenge right now in my field is reduction in funding, especially for research.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
My most important value is honesty and integrity, being who you are and doing the right thing.
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