National Leadership Program, Spring 2018
Emily Counts
Emily Counts was a Nonprofit Management Fellow in the National Leadership Program at RespectAbility. She originally is from the beautiful coastal town of Kennebunk, Maine. She is finishing her final semester at University of New Hampshire where she will graduate with a degree in Recreation Management and Policy. She hopes to attend graduate school in the fall to receive a master’s in public health. After receiving her graduate degree, she would like to work in communities with barriers to healthcare access, healthy food and physical activity. Counts is passionate about making sure all have access to opportunities – access to healthcare, education, recreation and employment.
Counts became passionate about working with people with disabilities through her work with Friends in Action. Friends in Action is a nonprofit based in New Hampshire that brings social and recreational opportunities to adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities. She helped run their theater program, even stepping in a few times when the director was out. Before coming to RespectAbility, Counts was a research assistant for the Recreation Management and Policy Department of the University of New Hampshire.
In her free time, Counts enjoys reading any Jane Austen novel she can get her hands on. She also enjoys cooking for herself and friends and trying the many recipes she finds on Pinterest. She has recently enjoyed exploring Washington, D.C., and looks forward to seeing more of the city in her spare time.
