About Emily
Emily Goodson is an author, speaker, and former HR leader who helps individuals build confidence and advises companies on healthy workplace culture.
At age 8, Emily experienced a brain injury that resulted in partial paralysis on the left side of her body. Through subsequent recovery, she built resilience and developed a deep commitment to reshaping conversations around disability, workplace inclusion, and self-empowerment.
She shares her journey to self-worth in both personal and professional spaces, helping individuals embrace their authentic selves and supporting organizations in creating cultures where everyone can thrive. Her creative work—including features in the Los Angeles Times and photo exhibits with Disability Rights Now and the Bold Beauty Project—advances the dialogue on disability representation.
Her upcoming book, Dating Disability, coming in fall 2025, explores self-confidence, intimacy, and emotional intelligence through the lens of her lived experiences.
Emily’s consulting spans startups to major production companies, with a focus on disability inclusion and healthy workplace culture development. She was recently named a Top 25 Emerging Culture Creator by Culture Amp for her influence in shaping more inclusive and emotionally intelligent workplaces.
In February 2025, Emily launched a newsletter exploring how organizations are continuing—or backing away from—diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in today’s political climate. With her background in HR leadership and lived experience as a person with a disability, she is uniquely positioned to speak to the current realities of workplace culture and the shifting landscape of inclusion. Through speaking engagements and advisory work, Emily continues to challenge norms and inspire change.