Emily Polak

Emily Polak serves as the Director of the State Consumer Health Advocacy Program, supporting Community Catalyst partners in their regional, state and national health care initiatives. Emily offers technical assistance in coalition building and maintenance, grassroots organizing, organizational strategic planning, and designing and implementing successful health advocacy campaigns.

Prior to joining the Community Catalyst team, Emily served as the deputy director of NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia, supporting the organization in its political efforts to increase reproductive justice, health and rights for all individuals in the Commonwealth. Emily also spent a year and a half working on the Obama campaign for the 2008 election, and credits the campaign with allowing her to see the country. She spent time in five different primary states before completing the cycle in Michigan for the general election. Emily holds a bachelor's degree in sociology from Wesleyan University and a Masters in Public Policy with a focus on social and urban policy and women's health from the Harvard Kennedy School. 

Community Catalyst works to ensure consumer interests are represented wherever important decisions about health and the health system are made: in communities, courtrooms, statehouses and on Capitol Hill.