Until declaring her candidacy, Elizabeth Emken served as Vice President for Government Relations at Autism Speaks, the nation's largest science and advocacy organization devoted to the public health emergency of autism.

Elizabeth graduated from UCLA in 1984, with a degree in Economics and Political Science. Prior to her professional involvement with the autism cause, Elizabeth focused on field management, cost and financial analysis, and corporate operations at IBM Corporation.

Elizabeth joined Autism Speaks in March 2007 to manage the relationship between the organization and the federal government, state governments, and related agencies.

Prior to joining Autism Speaks, Elizabeth was a legislative consultant and board member to Cure Autism Now since 1998. She initially coordinated grassroots advocacy for the first major piece of federal autism legislation, the Advancement in Pediatric Autism Research Act, ultimately becoming the lead title of the Children's Health Act of 2000, which authorized programs at the NIH, CDC, and HRSA totaling more than $200million over 5 years.

Elizabeth led autism community advocacy for the Combating Autism Act of 2006 on behalf of Cure Autism Now, Autism Speaks, and 17 other leading autism organizations. The Combating Autism Act of 2006 passed in December, 2006, and authorizes nearly $1billion dollars over the next 5 years to combat autism through research, screening, early detection and early intervention.

In 2007, Elizabeth launched a multi-state campaign to secure insurance coverage for autism-related services. Fifteen states approved and enacted these measures. Similar legislation is pending in over 20 more. Florida Governor Charlie Crist appointed Elizabeth to the Governor's Task Force on Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Elizabeth lives in Danville, California with her husband of 23 years, Craig Swartz, a Strategist at Microsoft Corporation. They have two daughters, and 17 year old son, Alex, who has autism spectrum disorder.