Building a Life You Love, Even After Loss
Emily’s journey is defined by one consistent theme: intentionally creating a life she loves, even in the face of immense adversity.
From an early age, Emily was drawn to leadership and personal growth, managing her first team at just 16. She quickly learned the power of influence, respect, and servant leadership through the teachings of John Maxwell, principles she has carried throughout her 20+ years in the healthcare industry.
Emily's healthcare career saw her rise through the ranks to Senior Vice President, where she led over 4,000 employees in 100+ locations across the U.S. She thrived in high-growth, high-pressure environments, managing acquisitions, mergers, and turnaround initiatives. But her true passion was always in empowering others—building leadership development programs, mentoring employees, and helping people grow into their full potential.
A Life-Changing Loss and a New Purpose
In 2021, everything Emily knew about life was upended. Her husband’s sudden death at the age of 37 left her widowed with four children. Grieving, overwhelmed, and unsure of the future, Emily had to confront a new reality that shattered the dreams and goals she had shared with her husband. But she was determined not to let grief define her. Instead, she chose to intentionally create a life she loved again.
Drawing on the resilience she developed in her professional life, Emily immersed herself in the grief process. She sought out counseling, read everything she could about healing, and became certified in both Grief Recovery and Life Coaching. As she walked through her own journey, she realized how much misinformation exists about grief and how little structured support there is for young widows.
This led her to create Brave Widow, a coaching program and community designed to help widows find hope, heal, and build a new life they can love. Emily knows that rebuilding after loss is hard—but she also knows it's possible. Her goal is to help widows find their way through the fog of grief, rediscover who they are, and create a future they’re excited about.
Living Intentionally, Leading Authentically
Emily’s mission isn't just about surviving grief—it's about intentionally designing a life filled with purpose, hope, and joy. Whether working with widows through Brave Widow or guiding high-achieving leaders in her professional life, Emily teaches that no matter what obstacles come your way, you can always create a life that aligns with your deepest values and dreams.
Her story is a powerful testament to the idea that loss doesn’t have to define you—but the life you choose to create after it can. Today, she lives a life full of meaning, joy, and hope, all while guiding others to do the same.
Through her coaching, courses, and podcast, Emily shares her hard-earned insights and strategies for turning pain into purpose. She’s passionate about helping others find their path and take the first steps toward creating a life they love—no matter where they’re starting from.
Credentials and Accomplishments
Emily earned an MBA with an emphasis on leadership and ethics from John Brown University and holds multiple certifications, including from the Grief Recovery Institute, the Faith-Based Coaching Academy, and Maxwell Leadership. Prior to founding Brave Widow, she served as Senior Vice President in the healthcare industry, leading thousands of employees and managing large-scale organizational change.
Today, she continues to live her mission of servant leadership, personal growth, and helping others intentionally create the life they love.