Emma is an accomplished educator and committed community leader in the Arlington. For over 30 years, Emma has served Arlington’s public schools as an educator and administrator. Emma immigrated to the United States from Bolivia in 1961 and earned a B.S. in Foreign Language and an M.S. in counseling from Radford University. Additionally, Emma earned a doctorate in Education from George Washington University. Emma’s children, James and Julia were born and educated in Arlington where they attended Key, Taylor, Williamsburg, Yorktown, and H.B. Woodlawn schools and where she served as an active parent in Parent Teacher Associations. Emma resides in the Donaldson Run community.

Currently she serves as the Arlington representative and Vice-Chair of the Northern Virginia Community College Board of Directors.

A Fulbright Senior Scholar and American Association of University Women Fellow, Emma is a researcher and author of numerous publications on education and parental involvement. During her time as an educator and administrator in Arlington, Emma led the development and implementation of a comprehensive program for English Language Learners which is cited as a national model. One of the many results of her community involvement was the establishment of the first bilingual GED program in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Emma’s commitment to family learning also led her to found Arlington County’s Project Family, a program that provides learning opportunities for parents of children ages 0 to 5 years old to learn about the importance of the parent-child relationship in achieving the optimal physical and cognitive development of their child.

A community activist committed to building cultural and linguistic resources, Emma founded Escuela Bolivia, which includes a Saturday School, extensive parent education programming, and the Emerging Leaders Program for high school youth. Additionally, Emma founded and serves as the Scholarship Chair of the League of United Latin American Citizens’ – Council 4606. She also serves on the board of the Mongolian school of the National Capital Area.

A tireless advocate, Emma is a member of numerous community boards and organizations including the Arlington Retired Teachers Association, the American Association of University Women, the Committee of 100, the Donaldson Run Civic Association, the Mongolian School of the National Capital Area, and the Virginia Coalition of Latino Organizations. For her work and commitment, Emma is a recipient of the James B. Hunter III Human Rights Notable Woman of Arlington Award, and the Mexican American Legal Defense Fund’s Community Service Award.

Emma with her children, Julia and James