Dr. Emily Sutcliffe

Biography

Emily R. Sutcliffe serves as the Associate Dean for Public Interest and the Executive Director of the Toll Public Interest Center at Penn Carey Law. She leads the law school’s efforts to expand public interest initiatives, made possible by a significant $50 million gift from the Robert and Jane Toll Foundation, which is the largest donation of its kind to a law school. Emily is dedicated to maintaining the oldest and largest pro bono requirement in the country and ensuring that Penn Carey Law's commitment to public service and experiential learning remains vibrant and responsive to contemporary issues of injustice. A proud alumna of Penn, she earned her PhD in Sociocultural Anthropology and holds master’s degrees in Nonprofit Leadership and Teaching, Learning, and Leadership. In addition to her administrative roles, she regularly engages in research, writing, and speaking on topics of race, social class, religion, and belonging. Emily teaches courses focused on social change and group dynamics across several departments, including the Wharton School. Furthermore, she co-founded the Wynford Institute, which utilizes interactive learning methods to deliver socially impactful leadership training. She is actively involved in nonprofit boards in Philadelphia, including as a founding member of the Youth Sentencing Re-Entry Project. In her early career, Emily worked in refugee resettlement and served as a nonprofit leadership consultant, as well as providing private education to royal families in Saudi Arabia.

Research Interests