Emily Young

Emily Young is an associate for advocacy and engagement. In this role, she acts as a bridge between the organization’s work at the state and national levels; helping uplift the work of EdTrust’s state offices to its national audience and crafting actionable plans to advance policy priorities in collaboration with its partners.

Prior to joining EdTrust, Emily worked at the National League of Cities as a senior program specialist for education & expanded learning. There, she helped city leaders create educational policies and programs that expanded equitable access to afterschool and developed pathways into high-quality STEM jobs for youth of color.

Emily holds a BA with Honors from the University of Chicago in both Public Policy and Political Science. While in Chicago, she focused her studies on education policy and supplemented her courses working as a teacher’s assistant in a second-grade classroom.

Weakness          

Dark chocolate (the darker the better) and bread! I swear, I could live off just that.

What’s your favorite thing to do outside of work?

I am an avid reader and a regular at my local library! When my nose isn’t in a book, you can find me unleashing my competitive side on the soccer field.

What drew you to education?

I genuinely love learning and believe wholeheartedly that everyone should be able to have an educational experience that gives them the joy of discovery and helps them develop new passions. Education is so foundational to who we are as humans, and schools in particular present a unique opportunity for us as a society to provide people with the support systems and opportunities they need to thrive. Growing up in New York City, I was fortunate enough to be provided with those opportunities but saw firsthand how stratified our system was. I have been driven ever since to break this cycle of inequality.