Raised on an off-grid acreage, Emilie has been involved in a variety of construction projects from a young age. When she was 14/15 years old she had the great joy of being very involved with the construction of a timber frame addition to her family home! After spending a year abroad, she found a job at a greenhouse construction company and enjoyed it so much, that she continued on in the construction industry, achieving her Red Seal Certification as a carpenter at 23 years of age.

Over the years she has worked in greenhouse construction, custom home and barn building, film and television set fabrication, the restoration industry, and in recent years she has been working as a sessional instructor of carpentry at various trades institutions in BC.

In 2021, Emilie participated in Leaders in Trades (formerly Regional Representative) Training though BCCWITT. This was an incredible experience connecting with other tradeswomen and kickstarted some amazing things for Emilie.

She is passionate about connecting people in the trades, and is a strong advocate for trades training for everyone. Using all of the skills she gained throughout her apprenticeship, as well as her experiences as a woman working in the skilled trades, Emilie now works as the Trades Navigator for Student Support and Engagement at the University of the Fraser Valley. In this role she supports all trades students by connecting them to a variety of resources, she speak to schools about careers in trades, and works to plan and support exciting events within different communities showcasing a variety of trades related activities and skills.