Emily Gerst

About Emily

Emily is originally from the San Francisco Bay Area.  After graduating from Northwestern University with a degree in history and international studies, she worked for several years in Christian campus ministry in Chicago.

Being around and involved in a lot of conflict on campus piqued her interest in how to do conflict well.  Her curiosity eventually took her back to California to get a master’s degree in dispute resolution at the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine University. Now, her love of conflict resolution brings her across the country to the east coast!

As the inaugural director of conflict resolution & peer mediation, she is overseeing the creation of a student-led conflict resolution program and the development of campus-wide conflict resources and training.  Her experience includes mediating in the California Superior Court system, community restorative justice facilitation with the US Department of Justice, and developing conflict resolution resources at Pepperdine.

Emily is a diehard fan of Northwestern sports, Harry Potter, and USA swimming. When she’s not resolving conflict, you can find her taking nature walks, reading at the beach, and eating cheesy foods.