Dr Emma Blomkamp is a researcher, facilitator and coach, exploring and sharing creative and participatory approaches to complex issues.

Her research and practice focuses on fostering equity and justice through systemic and community-engaged approaches. She draws on academic and applied experience to train and mentor others.

Born and raised in Aotearoa, Emma has experience working in New Zealand, Australia, Europe and Asia. From her home base in ‘the hills’ on Wurundjeri Country (Melbourne, Australia), Emma now works independently and in collaborations, supporting designers, researchers, changemakers and public servants to co-create kinder and fairer policies and services.

Emma is a member of the Belgrave and Tecoma Township Group and leads its Community Resilience and Climate Adaptation initiative (CRaCA), working collaboratively to build local climate resilience. This grassroots, place-based work now sits at the centre of her work on how communities build regenerative, self-determined futures.

Emma has led strategic design and social innovation projects with public purpose organisations since 2014. Before that, Emma spent a decade honing her skills in teaching, academic research, cultural governance and production.

Named one of The University of Auckland’s ‘40 Under 40’ alumni in 2021, Emma’s co-design and design research projects have won numerous awards, including a Gold for Social Impact in the Good Design Awards 2020.

Leading small social business New Know How,  Emma supports purpose-driven people to build their skills to co-create compassionate systems and improve community wellbeing. In 2021 she launched her first and still-flagship training program, Co-Design Bootcamp, now Co-Design Practitioners. The following year she founded CoDesignCo, convening this community of practice with over 100 active members for two years.

Emma researches and writes on public innovation, systemic design, local governance and community resilience, publishing and presenting internationally — including in the Australian Journal of Public Administration, Policy Design and Practice, and Policy & Politics (2021 Best Paper Prize). She holds an award-winning PhD in community wellbeing and local government, and co-edited Making Culture Count, a book on cultural measurement.