Emma has worked in sustainable livelihoods and program design, strategy planning and management for over 20 years. She spent 10 years with the Indigenous Land & Sea Corporation (ILSC), leading teams supporting First Nations people to acquire and manage country and start land & sea-based enterprises. She also led the ILSC’s national environment, carbon and heritage team for a number of years.
She is a member of the Fiji High Integrity Carbon Project Working Group, a member of the RedR Humanitarian Roster in international development, and a Committee Member with Cradle Coast NRM in Tasmania. Emma has worked in North America, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, including with Emirates-Nature-WWF, the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre, Swisscontact Vietnam, Expo 2020 Dubai (Sustainability Pavilion), and the Museum of Vancouver.
In 2020, Emma started Ethical Republic, a Certified B Corporation that supports Indigenous and local communities to create cultural and nature-based enterprises alongside protected areas, heritage sites and trail destinations. She is also Founder of The Travel Better Project, which aims to inspire and enable tourism operators to take a positive impact approach in their business.
Emma is the General Manager of the Great Barrier Reef Traditional Owner Taskforce.