Emilie Coyle is a Canadian lawyer, advocate, and community leader, currently working as the co-Executive Director of the Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies (CAEFS) in Ottawa. In this role since 2020, she co-leads a national organization dedicated to supporting criminalized and marginalized women and gender-diverse people, focusing on advocacy, public education, and systemic reform to address the mass incarceration and marginalization of vulnerable populations, particularly Indigenous women and gender-diverse people, in federal prisons.
Emilie has a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from York University's Glendon Campus, a Master of Education in Adult Education from Mount Saint Vincent University, and a Juris Doctor (JD) from Dalhousie University’s Schulich School of Law. She was selected as valedictorian of her graduating law class in 2014.
Emilie's legal practice spanned family, criminal, and immigration law. Before joining CAEFS, she worked as Director of National Programs at The Refugee Hub, Senior Director of Newcomer Services at the YMCA-YWCA of the National Capital Region, and worked in the non-profit sector for over a decade.
Emilie was a co-founder of Parents 4 Diversity, a group working to address discrimination in schools and create safer environments for children and youth. She is a dedicated ally and advocate for the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community, having privately sponsored LGBTQ+ refugees and spoken out on issues of inclusion and safety since 2009. In 2018, she ran for Ottawa City Council, raising awareness about issues affecting vulnerable community members.
Emilie is the parent of Niko and Maia and partner to Adam. She loves a good book and always welcomes recommendations for something new to read.