Emily Tapia Lopez

Emily Tapia Lopez has been with MPC since 2008.  Her work focuses on transportation policies at the federal, state and local level, exploring innovative financing techniques, and highlighting best practices from around the world.

A Chicago native, Emily has experience working in both the public and private sector. She managed all operations for the Chicago division of the LA-based Edaburi Group, LLC – a firm set up to recruit international talent to design and develop a LEED-certified community in Chicago. While at the Chicago Transit Authority, she managed the agency’s community outreach database and assisted with Regional Transportation Authority’s Moving Beyond Congestion initiative in the Government and Community Relations division. Her work with the Village of Forest Park addressed the growing parking needs in the business district and conducted a land use study around the Village’s rail lines into the city. In 1998, Emily was selected as a Congressional Page for U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) and returned to D.C. several years later to work for U.S. Rep. Bill Lipinski (D-Ill.), then-Ranking Member of the House Transportation Committee.

Emily has traveled all over the world – extensively throughout Europe and South America. After Hurricane Katrina, Emily joined a group of colleagues to help with the rebuilding efforts in New Orleans and demolish homes devastated by the collapses of the levies.  Emily was awarded the Helen Overly Graduate Scholarship by the Chicago chapter of the Women in Transportation Seminar, and Graduate of the Year from the University of Illinois.  She is an active member of the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials and American Planning Association.

Emily currently lives on the South Side of Chicago with her husband and two dogs.