PRESIDENT & CEO
PLANNED PARENTHOOD GREAT PLAINS
Emily Wales (she/her) serves as President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains (PPGP) and Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes (PPGPV). She joined the organization in 2017, as its first-ever general counsel before later serving as chief operating officer. In her time at PPGP, Emily has led the organization through tightening restrictions on care and a changing landscape of abortion access including an influx in patients traveling from Texas when S.B. 8 took effect in 2021, to total abortion bans in Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri after the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Under Emily’s leadership, PPGP launched a new health center in Kansas City, Kansas less than a week after the Dobbs decision, increasing access to health care in a community long underserved and providing another point of care for patients throughout the region.
Emily has consistently helped guide PPGP’s messaging to ensure people across the four-state affiliate knew that PPGP’s doors were open and providing essential sexual and reproductive health care, even as abortion care was no longer available in three of PPGP’s four states. After a historic win for abortion rights in Kansas – in which PPGPV played a pivotal role – Emily quickly prioritized improvements for the three health centers in Kansas, which have filled a critical need for abortion care for patients in surrounding banned states. Under her guidance, PPGP has increased appointments and provider coverage to meet the overwhelming demand, while continuing to advocate at the state level to protect the rights of Kansans. During these times, Emily has remained focused on the well-being of staff and patients, with hope for a future where everyone can get the health care they need, regardless of their zip code.
Before joining PPGP, Emily was an assistant attorney general for the State of Missouri and a fellow through the Georgetown Women’s Law and Public Policy Program at the National Women’s Law Center. Emily developed a passion for advocating for reproductive rights from a young age, watching her Presbyterian minister father prioritize social justice work and serve on the board of a local Planned Parenthood. A native of Warrensburg, Missouri, Emily is a graduate of William Jewell College and Harvard Law School. Prior to law school, Emily worked at EMILY’s List, helping to elect pro-choice, female Democratic candidates. She enjoys spending time with her husband and young son and is proud to call Kansas City home.
PANELIST
CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM & TRUMP: AN UPDATE ON LEGISLATIVE & LEGAL ACTION
Join us for lunch and an overview of the efforts by the Trump administration and Christian Nationalist allies to impose a narrow set of religious views on everyone. We will cover ongoing attacks on religious freedom happening in Congress, legislatures, and the courts in the areas of public education, civil rights protections, and more.
The session will conclude with a dynamic panel discussion featuring advocates and experts who are pushing back against these threats. Together, they’ll unpack the real-world consequences and discuss how we can collectively respond to defend freedom for all.