EMPOWER Welcomes First Female NSA Chief Public Affairs Officer Ms. Judith Kain Emmel as Women’s History Month Speaker
Indian Creek School's women's EMPOWERment club President Sophia O’Connell ’25 welcomed Maryland Commission for Women Member Ms. Judith Kain Emmel to address the Upper School student body as a Women’s History Month featured speaker.
During the school meeting on Wednesday, March 12, Ms. Emmel encouraged students to “be open to opportunities.” Ms. Emmel started her career as a middle school teacher whose first role at the National Security Agency (NSA) was as a linguist. She learned Farsi and Arabic through a nine-month immersion program. She was one of the first women to work in a 24-7 watch program supporting US Troops overseas. Over time, Ms. Emmel became the first female Chief Public Affairs Officer for NSA. In this role, she tried to help Americans learn about national security agencies. She was a liaison with television show “60 Minutes” several times during her career. One of her favorite roles was Assistant Director of the President’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board.
Ms. Emmel has received numerous awards and citations for her leadership and public service. After retiring from NSA, Ms. Emmel was diagnosed with a rare disease. She became an advocate for other’s facing similar health challenges and she has been on the Board of the Mast Cell Disease Society for several years and has been Board Chair for the past few years. She encouraged students, faculty, and staff to “take life challenges and turn them into something good.” She noted “how you turn a problem into an opportunity to help others” will impact your life. Ms. Emmel’s final piece of advice is “be passionate about what you do, and it does not feel like work.”
Thank you to Ms. Judith Kain Emmel for this inspiring presentation!
Back
During the school meeting on Wednesday, March 12, Ms. Emmel encouraged students to “be open to opportunities.” Ms. Emmel started her career as a middle school teacher whose first role at the National Security Agency (NSA) was as a linguist. She learned Farsi and Arabic through a nine-month immersion program. She was one of the first women to work in a 24-7 watch program supporting US Troops overseas. Over time, Ms. Emmel became the first female Chief Public Affairs Officer for NSA. In this role, she tried to help Americans learn about national security agencies. She was a liaison with television show “60 Minutes” several times during her career. One of her favorite roles was Assistant Director of the President’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board.
Ms. Emmel has received numerous awards and citations for her leadership and public service. After retiring from NSA, Ms. Emmel was diagnosed with a rare disease. She became an advocate for other’s facing similar health challenges and she has been on the Board of the Mast Cell Disease Society for several years and has been Board Chair for the past few years. She encouraged students, faculty, and staff to “take life challenges and turn them into something good.” She noted “how you turn a problem into an opportunity to help others” will impact your life. Ms. Emmel’s final piece of advice is “be passionate about what you do, and it does not feel like work.”
Thank you to Ms. Judith Kain Emmel for this inspiring presentation!
Indian Creek School
Indian Creek school is a co-educational, college preparatory independent school, located in Crownsville, Maryland. Students in Pre-K3 through grade 12 receive a vibrant educational experience based on excellent academics steeped in strong student-teacher connections.
