[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 49 (Tuesday, March 24, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E390]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     A TRIBUTE IN HONOR OF THE LIFE OF CAROL BURGESS EMMOTT, PH.D.

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. ANNA G. ESHOO

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 24, 2015

  Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary life 
and work of a dear friend and revered colleague, Carol Burgess Emmott. 
Born on November 11, 1946, Carol died peacefully at her home in 
Hillsborough, California on February 25, 2015, at the age of 68, in the 
arms of her loving husband, Cameron.
   Carol was born and raised in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. She graduated 
from Southern Methodist University in 1969 with a double major in 
History and Political Science. In 1975, while working for the 
California Senate Pro Tem George Moscone, she earned her Ph.D. from 
Oklahoma University in Health Policy, studying the California 
Legislature through UC Berkeley's Institute of Governmental Studies. 
After completing her Ph.D., Carol contributed to the health policy 
research agenda of the Institute for Health Policy Studies at the 
University of California, San Francisco.
   After her tenure at UCSF, Carol accepted a political appointment in 
Washington, D.C. working under Joseph A. Califano, then Secretary of 
Health, Education, and Welfare. During her tenure there she managed a 
third of the health care legislative agenda for the Carter 
Administration. Carol returned to California as Chief Deputy Director 
of the State Health Department, working under Director Beverlee Myers. 
She was later the Deputy of the San Francisco Department of Public 
Health under Mayor Dianne Feinstein, where she shaped policies to 
respond to the AIDS crisis.
   Carol's commitment to California's public safety net facilities led 
her to found and serve as CEO of the California Association of Public 
Hospitals. During her long tenure at CAPH, Carol and her colleagues 
were successful in bringing billions of dollars of state and federal 
funds to help support California's health care safety net, facilitating 
the passage of legislation to rebuild the majority of these vital 
facilities.
   After 15 years in federal, state, and local health policy, Carol 
complemented her career by contributing to private sector health care 
through senior level executive recruiting. During the course of her 25-
year career, Carol was a partner at three of the top four international 
recruiting firms: Spencer Stuart, Heidrick & Struggles, and Russell 
Reynolds Associates. Carol's last 10 years were dedicated to building 
and leading the Health Services Practice at Russell Reynolds 
Associates. She was successful in recruiting many of the top leaders in 
American health care across a broad swath of the industry, including 
academic medical centers, major health plans, significant health 
systems, and prominent health policy positions.
   Carol's dedication to executive development was manifested in her 
leadership forums in California and Massachusetts, and her CEO/
Innovator's Roundtable. Devoted to her professional colleagues, Carol 
focused especially on mentoring the emerging young women leaders across 
the industry. The recent creation of the Carol Emmott Fellowship stands 
as a testament to her commitment to the success of women in the health 
care industry.
   Carol was deeply devoted to her family. Cameron, her husband of 45 
years, was the love of her life. Having met in high school, they were 
soul mates in all endeavors, most particularly in the nurturing of 
their son, Parker Emmott. While Carol was a dedicated wife and 
professional, she was a devoted mother, always prioritizing her 
connection to Parker, his friends, and his evolution as a unique and 
talented individual. Carol was predeceased by her parents, Robert Banks 
Burgess and Mary Gary Bedwell. In addition to her husband and son, she 
is survived by her sister, Betsy Wright, and many other beloved family 
members and friends.
   Carol was special in every way. She knew how to be a friend. She 
used her intellect for the betterment of humanity, and she was 
beautiful inside and out. Once you met Carol, she became unforgettable. 
I am blessed to have known her, to have learned from her, to have been 
inspired by her, and to have had her as a trusted friend and colleague.
   Mr. Speaker, I ask the entire House of Representatives to join me in 
honoring the life and work of Carol Burgess Emmott and in extending our 
deepest condolences to her magnificent family. She strengthened our 
community and our country, and bettered the lives of countless 
Americans.

                          ____________________