Guides & Inspirations

Recognized as one of America’s fine nonfiction writers and poets, Emily also practices as a designer and communication strategist. She is a fan of planet Earth, democracy, justice, diplomacy, and the Oxford comma.

WRITING
The author of four books, Emily’s essays, non-fiction stories, and poems have appeared in: magazines (among them, The Atlantic, The New Yorker, The Nation, Salon); many anthologies (including Best American Poetry, the Norton Book of Nature Writing, and This Impermanent Earth); and literary journals (including The Hudson Review, The Georgia Review, Agni, Partisan Review, Prairie Schooner, and Southwest Review).

COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY
She developed the communications program for MIT’s School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences and served as its inaugural director for 15 years. She collaborated with leadership and great colleagues to shape the voice and visual identity of the School’s communications and guided a wide-ranging portfolio of editorial and design works that raised the profile of MIT’s world-class humanistic fields in the U.S. and around the globe.

MAGAZINE EDITING
Prior to her role at MIT Emily served for eight years as the Literary Editor of Orion Magazine, working with America’s leading nature writers and introducing poetry, new themes (including environmental justice), and more diverse voices into the magazine’s pages.

DESIGN
Fresh out of college, Emily worked for several years as a designer in Peter Kemble’s Designs & Devices studio, then joined the Education Development Center as a designer for the acclaimed Exploring Human Nature curriculum, collaborating with renowned design director Michael Sand. Emily then founded Studio H, a design practice focused on educational and cultural projects. The Studio’s works have included projects for the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Children’s Museum, Massachusetts General Hospital, the Trustees of Reservations, the City of Boston, Wellesley College, The Boston Foundation, Governor Michael Dukakis, the Equal Rights Amendment campaign in Massachusetts, the Essex Institute, Our Bodies, Ourselves, and many other purpose-driven enterprises.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Emily has served on the boards of PEN New England, the Associates of the Boston Public Library, and The Communicators, a peace organization that she co-led with with Barbara Hindley and Patricia Brady. She joined fellow PEN New England board member and acclaimed fiction writer Edith Pearlman in producing a monthly reading series at the Marlowe Hotel. More recently, she collaborated with leaders at MIT and the Council on the Uncertain Human Future to establish the MIT Council, and continues to serve as a member.

EDUCATION
Emily has a BFA from the University of the Arts (studies in design, painting, and photography); an MFA in Writing from Boston University, and completed doctoral studies in Literature & Environmental Ethics at the University Professors Program of Boston University. Her first prose book, The Very Rich Hours, which emerged from the doctoral work, explores questions of nature and culture in four distinct places: Greece, Belize, Scotland, and the Everglades.

SELECTED AWARDS + GRANTS
Her literary awards include the National Poetry Award, the Whiting Award, the National Magazine Award, the Pushcart Prize, Best of the Pushcart Prize, and Discovery/The Nation.

Design awards include Case Awards, Print Magazine’s Outstanding Posters Award, numerous awards from the Boston Art Director’s Club, and grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

Along with Barbara Hindley and Patricia Brady, she received the Golden Sparkplug Award for catalyzing the Boston-area communications community to action on behalf of peace efforts. At MIT, she received the Infinite Mile/Great Ideas Award for her role in creating and leading the communications program for the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences.

Writing
Whiting Writers Award, Whiting Foundation
National Magazine Award, for “Hymn”
National Poetry Series Award, selected by Jorie Graham
Discovery Award, The Nation
The Pushcart Prize
Best of Pushcart Prize, 25th anniversary edition

Leadership
Infinite Mile Award, MIT
Golden Sparkplug Award, Designs & Devices

Design
NEH grant, for a major exhibit on Boston Architectural History
CASE Awards for design/content of MIT materials
Silver Medal and numerous awards, Boston Art Directors Club
Outstanding American Posters Award, Print Magazine
MCC grant, for a literary video series: Ink Dark Moon

Guides & Inspirations