Emily Thurston

Emily Thurston is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Urban Education at the University of Pittsburgh. She is interested in Participatory Research for equity and justice in public schools. More specifically, Emily partners with youth and school communities to build a collective vision of a just and equitable society and to plan for continuous improvement toward these ends. Her career in community service has spanned the globe, beginning with policy research and analysis in the federal government, followed by a public health advisory role in Madagascar, before entering the field of education as an English Teacher in Ukraine. Returning to the U.S., Emily worked as a Special Education Teacher in Brooklyn, NY. Since that time, several family relocations, writing, and independent research have kept her busy. Emily is excited to put down roots in Pittsburgh to collaborate on systems change in education, redress disinvestment of Black and brown communities, and prepare youth to navigate social and environmental volatility.