Emmie DiCicco is the State Strategies Manager on the Food Assistance team. She brings nearly ten years of social justice advocacy experience in journalism, grassroots organizing, nonprofit leadership, and city government.

Prior to joining the Center, Emmie worked as a Food Policy Planner with the City of Austin. In addition to co-designing the engagement structure for the Austin/Travis County food plan, she analyzed food-related state legislation, developed the Food Justice Mini-Grant program, and led the city’s first Food Supply Chain Vulnerability Assessment. Before working in local government, Emmie co-founded a voting rights nonprofit that advocated for state legislation in Pennsylvania, helping to pass mail-in voting just months before the COVID-19 pandemic. She also served as the Media Chair and on the Steering Committee for the Pennsylvania Poor People’s Campaign, a rainbow coalition working to end poverty, racism, militarism, and ecological devastation, managing campaigns to save General Assistance and prevent SNAP reductions. She volunteers with the South Philadelphia Community Free Fridge and serves on the Philadelphia Food Policy Council.

Emmie earned her bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Temple University and a Master of Global Policy Studies degree with a focus on food systems from the LBJ School of Public Affairs.