Emma Reed is a Bay Area native - born and raised in the small, rural town of Portola Valley.  She is working toward a specialization in Environmental Planning and also is interested in the expanding field of GIS.  Emma obtained her Bachelor's degree in Urban Studies and Planning from the University of California, San Diego with a concentration in public health.  Through her studies, she became interested in the Emergency Management profession and its relationship to urban and regional planning.  She worked for three years (first as an intern and eventually as a Continuity Planner) for the University of California, San Diego's Continuity & Emergency Services Department.  She decided to pursue a graduate degree in urban planning with the aim of combining her research with her background in emergency management to focus on hazard mitigation planning.  In her free time, Emma enjoys traveling, hiking, exploring new places, and spending time with friends and family.