Emily Stewart is the Executive Director of Community Catalyst. In this role, Emily oversees the overall direction of Community Catalyst’s work with local, state and national advocates to leverage and build power so all people can influence decisions that affect their health. She is responsible for the strategic, programmatic, financial and operational leadership of the organization, as well as for its 501 (c) 4 affiliate, the Community Catalyst Action Fund.
Emily brings more than two decades of health care advocacy, campaign, and organizing experience to this role. Most recently, Emily served as the Vice President of Public Policy for Planned Parenthood Federation of America and Planned Parenthood Action Fund, where she led some of Planned Parenthood’s most impactful strategic initiatives and campaigns to protect and expand access to sexual and reproductive health care, including the I Stand with Planned Parenthood (ISWPP) campaign to defeat efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and “defund” Planned Parenthood. Emily oversaw Planned Parenthood’s ACA implementation advocacy, including the successful effort to guarantee no co-pay coverage for birth control for 60 million women in America. A recognized health care policy, finance, and delivery expert, Emily also led Planned Parenthood’s work to ensure the unique health care needs of people of reproductive age were being met, especially as the health care system undergoes sweeping change.
Prior to her work at Planned Parenthood, Emily managed health policy and advocacy initiatives for a range of progressive organizations focused on advancing people’s health and rights. She lives in Boston, Massachusetts with her husband.