Captain Emerick is a native of Cresson, Pennsylvania. She attended the United States Naval Academy, earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemistry in 1996. She earned her medical degree and was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the United States Navy Medical Corps upon graduation from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in 2000. Following the completion of a Pediatric Internship at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Captain Emerick was assigned as the General Medical Officer for Marine Air Logistics Squadron 31 in Beaufort, South Carolina. In 2003 she transferred to the National Naval Medical Center Bethesda, Maryland and completed Pediatric Residency Training in 2005.

Captain Emerick was subsequently assigned to Naval Hospital Okinawa as a staff pediatrician where she chaired the Ethics Committee, coordinated the Pediatric Rotation for the Japanese Intern Program and ran the Pediatric Advanced Life Support program. In 2008, she joined the pediatric staff at the National Naval Medical Center Bethesda as a staff pediatrician.

In 2009, Captain Emerick entered training at the National Capital Consortium Pediatric Endocrinology Fellowship Program. During this time she led the team that created the Healthy Habits Multidisciplinary Pediatric Obesity Clinic. This clinic has served as a model for multiple graduating residents who have modified the program to serve patients and their families at other duty stations. Based on her experiences with this clinic she has become a sought after mentor for further research in childhood and adolescent obesity and an invited lecturer on this and other topics.

Captain Emerick assumed duties as the Chief of the Pediatric Subspecialty Service at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in 2016 and served in this position until 2019 when she deployed as a general pediatrician aboard the USNS Comfort for Operation Enduring Promise. During this humanitarian mission she helped provide medical care for approximately 70,000 patients in 14 different countries in South and Central America.

Captain Emerick is currently an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences where she is able to further expand her research in pediatric obesity and teaches extensively in multiple courses for both medical and nurse practitioner students. Continuing her track record as an exemplary multi-faceted Medical Corps Officer, Captain Emerick also serves as the Reproduction and Endocrinology Module Director at USUHS, coordinating and optimizing 8 weeks of curriculum for second year medical students.

Captain Emerick is board certified in Obesity Medicine, Pediatrics and Pediatric Endocrinology and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Her personal awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (two awards), Army Commendation Medal, Joint Achievement Medal, and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal.

*Non-financial relationships: No non-financial relationships have been disclosed.