Biography
Jo Ann Emerson assumed office as U.S. Representative for Missouri's 8th District in November 1996 in a special election after the death of her husband, Bill Emerson, and served until her retirement in January 2013. She was the first Republican woman to represent Missouri in Congress.
Emerson was born September 16, 1950, in Bethesda, Maryland. She graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University in 1972 with a bachelor's degree in political science. After graduating, she served as the senior vice president of public affairs for the American Insurance Association, as director of state relations and grassroots programs for the National Restaurant Association and as deputy communications director for the National Republican Congressional Committee.
For information on Emerson's policy subject areas, committee appointments and sponsored/co-sponsored legislation during her time in the U.S. House of Representatives, please visit her profile on https://www.congress.gov.
Sources: Ballotpedia (n.d.). “Jo Ann Emerson” Ballotpedia. Retrieved November 7, 2022. https://ballotpedia.org/Jo_Ann_Emerson.