Dr. Emily Williams Knight is a nationally recognized CEO, transformational leader, and fierce advocate for women, education, and the foodservice industry. She currently serves as President and CEO of the Texas Restaurant Association (TRA), where she leads the business, policy, and advocacy efforts for over 58,000 restaurants and 1.5 million employees across the state, generating $137 billion in annual sales. A champion for women in leadership, Dr. Knight is known for her honest, heartfelt leadership style and her unshakable commitment to community, courage, and collaboration.
Appointed as the first woman to lead the TRA in its 89-year history, Dr. Knight is widely respected for her steady and passionate leadership during moments of crisis and her visionary ability to build coalitions and drive meaningful policy reform. Her leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic was a national model—securing essential relief for restaurants, creating the Texas Restaurant Relief Fund, and successfully lobbying for landmark legislation like the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act.
Prior to her role at TRA, Dr. Knight served as President of Kendall College, a premier hospitality and culinary arts institution, where she led international expansion, deepened public-private partnerships, and secured 10-year institutional accreditation. She has also held senior roles at Study Group, Laureate International Universities, and Pearson Education—leading global education initiatives, workforce development programs, and multi-million-dollar portfolios that shaped opportunity for veterans, at-risk students, and international learners.
Dr. Knight’s career is deeply rooted in global leadership, having developed and managed international partnerships and education programs across Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and Asia. She oversaw a $370 million international higher education portfolio and led enrollment efforts for two of the top five hospitality institutions in the world. Her international expertise has positioned her as a strategic connector between industry, government, and academia on a global scale.
Dr. Knight has received national recognition for her leadership and service, including being named to the 2025 Nation’s Restaurant News Power List: Women in Foodservice and recognized by Lunchbox as one of the 2025 Top 30 Women in Food. She was selected as one of the 50 Most Influential Restaurant Executives in the U.S., and honored with Dallas Business Journal’s 2023 Most Admired CEOs Award.
Dr. Knight holds an Ed.D. in Higher Education Leadership from Walden University, a Master of Science in Management from Troy University, a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Administration from Boston University, and an Associate of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management where she was a Presidential Scholar and member of the women’s basketball team.
She actively serves on the National Restaurant Association Board of Directors, the Texas Business Roundtable, the Council of State Restaurant Associations Board of Directors and the Texas A&M University Hospitality, Hotel Management and Tourism Advisory Board. She also serves as a board member for private companies, API and Axial Shift.
A proud mother of twin daughters and passionate advocate for rescue animals and Veterans, Dr. Knight brings both head and heart to her work—believing that the most powerful leaders are those who remain rooted in purpose, lead with integrity, and lift others along the way.
