Emily Leonard is a Senior Policy Analyst with the Office of Policy and Planning, where she assists TDEC divisions with conservation policy research and analysis, process and operations development, project reports and evaluations, and stakeholder and public engagement. Emily possesses a Master of Public Policy and Management from Australia’s University of Melbourne and a BA in Philosophy with a concentration in Biomedical Ethics from the University of California, San Diego.
Prior to pursuing her career in policy, Emily served 6 years on active duty in the U.S. Navy as a nuclear reactor operator. Before joining TDEC, Emily worked in USDA at the state level for Tennessee’s Natural Resource Conservation Service and at the national level for Rural Development. Emily has an array of experience in agricultural and conservation policy research and analysis, program planning and implementation, and crisis management.
Emily lives in Nashville. She is a Pilates enthusiast who also loves gardening, cooking, and enjoying Nashville’s music scene.