The intersection of trauma and the law became a professional focus when early in her career as a sex crime prosecutor, Emily turned to the emerging research on PTSD to change the law and prosecution of sex crimes. However, ultimately, the limits of the law drew her to a second career as a mediator and restorative justice practitioner.
Inspired by Rwanda’s reliance on restorative justice, she co-founded African Peace Partners to develop a rural Peace Center with a trauma informed approach to dispute resolution. Later, as a consultant to the Justice Sector, with her colleague Bernadette Uwcyeza she drafted Rwanda’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Policy that became the first justice policy in the world to call for a trauma informed approach.
Currently, with Thomas Hübl she is working with senior Rwandan leaders on the structural design and implementation of the ADR Policy to establish a trauma informed justice system centered on restorative justice.
In the United States, Emily offers trauma-sensitive leadership development coaching and consulting through her company, NextGen Leadership.