Emma Smith is an MBA student at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a visiting board fellow through the Golub Capital Board Fellows Program. This initiative develops future civic leaders by pairing talented MBA and law students with local nonprofit boards to gain hands-on governance experience as non-voting volunteers.
Emma grew up in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, and completed her bachelor’s degree in Sociology at the United States Military Academy at West Point. She was commissioned as a US Army Officer, where she served in various leadership roles within the 1st Armored Division and Army Futures Command. During her military career, Emma deployed to Kuwait, Jordan, Poland, and South Korea, where she coordinated joint operations, delivered strategic assessments, and enhanced chemical defense capabilities. These experiences instilled in her a passion for leadership, innovation, and cross-sector collaboration to solve complex operational challenges. Following her military service, Emma worked as a Business Analyst at an IT consulting company, where she led large-scale digital transformation and technology modernization projects for federal agencies, improving operational efficiency and service delivery for thousands of users.
At Wharton, Emma is focusing on operations and is passionate about applying her leadership and problem-solving skills to help organizations navigate change and scale impact. She joined PA Humanities to give back to the PA community and support its mission to use the humanities, arts, and culture as tools for connection and civic engagement. In her free time, you can find her rowing on the Schuylkill River, reading fantasy novels, and chasing after her preschooler.
