Emerson was born and raised in the Bay Area. In 2004, he moved to Long Beach, where he obtained a BS and MS degree at CSULB. Having spent the last 13 years as a social worker (9 of those years previously as a probation officer), Emerson discovered his passion for making lumpia after seeing the joy it constantly brought to others. While he loves his day job as a social worker helping others, he enjoys spreading the lumpia love even more.