Emily O'Brien is a Republican who represented North Dakota House District 42 from 2016 until her resignation in August 2025, after her appointment as deputy commissioner of the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services. A businesswoman, she has served as chief operating officer of the Bioscience Association of North Dakota since 2019 and holds board positions with The Chamber of Grand Forks-East Grand Forks, the North Dakota Women’s Business Center, and the LISTEN Center. Notable achievements include sponsoring the anti-meals shaming bill , supported by the North Dakota United, and voting in favor of pro-education/public service policies 81.5% of the time.

Education and Political Experience

O'Brien worked as a fellow at the University of North Dakota Center for Innovation. Politically, she first won election to the North Dakota House in 2016 alongside Jake Blum, defeating Democratic-NPL incumbents, despite a DUI arrest during her campaign. She faced ethics investigations in 2024 over legislation benefiting her employer, including state grants and a sales tax exemption for the bioscience industry.