Emilie Steele retired in 2002 from her position as Associate Professor Adult Training at the College of Public and Community Service, University of Massachusetts Boston.  She was Associate Dean of the college from 1993 to 1997. Currently, Dr. Steele is the chair of the board of trustees for Boston Day and Evening Academy where she has been a trustee since 1998. BDEA is a Horace Mann Boston Public High School serving overage, at-risk students: http://www.bacademy.org.

She is a member of the Board of Visitors of the New England Conservatory. She is a former Member and Secretary of the New England Educational Assessment Network Board.  Dr. Steele is past President and Member of the Board of Revels, Inc. and former Member and Clerk of the Board of Directors of Project STEP (String Training and Education Program for Children of Color).  Dr. Steele is a graduate of Barnard College and has the Ed.M. and Ed.D. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education where she first met John as fellow graduate students.  When John served as President of the Student Association Cabinet, Emilie served as Vice President.  In the early '80s, they helped sponsor the School's first talks on the emerging AIDS epidemic and how Harvard and educators could better serve in the fight against the disease.

Emilie served on the TeenAIDS Board from 1997 to 2001 as Treasurer and served as Acting President of the Board in 2001.