Emily
“Kon’nichiwa.” This friendly greeting means “hello” in Japanese and was a phrase Emily often used as an exchange student in Japan. Originally from the small town of Clarinda, IA, the Fox Valley is now home to Emily, her husband Brad, and their three young children (one biological and two adopted). Emily earned her bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Northwestern College (not Northwestern University, though she’s happy to let you believe what you wish) and has worked in communications for eleven years and design for seven.
In 2016, before Emily was a busy mom of three littles, she started working at Fox Valley as a freelance graphic designer. By 2017 she was on staff as the new communications coordinator, where she assumed responsibility for the church’s internal communications through the app, weekly email, and other promotional materials. She also manages the external communications through social media, the website, printed marketing, and the design of the graphics and videos used in the worship services. (Don’t tell the accounting department, but Emily told us she loves doing church communications so much, she’d keep doing it even if she didn’t get paid!)
When not working for the church or caring for her young family, Emily is passionate about digging deep into scripture, her involvement with the foster and adoptive ministry Replanted, and South African history—“there’s a lot to learn from and apply to our current culture.” In her free time, Emily enjoys family walks, bike rides, and rearranging and organizing.