Emily Wolfteich

Member

Emily Wolfteich is Lead Analyst in the Insights and Research division at GovExec, writing about the nexus of technology and public service with a particular focus on AI. Previously, she spent seven years in the international development sphere, with a concentration on community-driven solutions to gender-based violence and discrimination. She has worked with communities across the world, including serving as a Community Health volunteer in the Peace Corps in eSwatini, working with women and girls at rural clinics in Senegal, and supporting a network of community organizations across the Balkans and Turkey through UN Women. She holds a MSc in Development Practice from Trinity College in Dublin, and a BA in French from the College of William and Mary, where she also led social justice alternative breaks focusing on homelessness and environmental racial justice.

Both Emily's career and her passions focus on building and supporting community. She served for two years on the Associate's Board of the Richmond YWCA and trained as IPV/DV response volunteer. In her spare time she enjoys volunteering with Richmond Community Fridges, proudly supporting the vibrant Richmond music and arts scene, and having coffee on the porch with her neighbors.

What does human rights mean to you?

Human rights are the most inalienable of rights. We have them simply because we exist. This means that all of us, regardless of our race, religion, gender, class, or other characteristic, are equally deserving of dignity, respect, and equal opportunity to live our lives freely. Protecting human rights is not just good policy or the law; it is the hallmark of a society that respects its people.