Emma Faye Rudkin

Emma Faye went profoundly deaf at the age of three and has spent her life turning a disability into an ability. Emma Faye is an internationally-known role model and public speaker for the (D)deaf and hard-of-hearing (HOH) community and founder of Aid the Silent. She was crowned Miss San Antonio 2015 & 2017 and placed Top 4 in Miss Texas 2017. She was named 2018 San Antonio's Woman of the Year by the San Antonio Business Journal (SABJ) and appointed by Governor Greg Abbott to serve on the Texas Governor's Committee on people with Disabilities for two terms until 2022. Aid the Silent and Emma Faye were honored by the SABJ and The Najim Family Foundation Corporate Philanthropy & Nonprofit Awards for Nonprofit CEO & Senior Manager two years in row as well as Nonprofit of the Year for small to midsize. Aid the Silent's Good Vibrations Music & Arts Festival, a completely deaf accessible festival, won Best of Fest for Charity Music Festival in Santa Barbara, CA presented by Jeff Bridges, Kenny Loggins, TBone Burnett and the Coen Brothers. Morgan's Wonderland placed Emma Faye on their Wall of Fame as an individual who has gone above and beyond to do great things for people with special needs. Emma Faye travels all around the country speaking at business conventions, ministries, churches and deaf conferences sharing her story and letting others know about the programs Aid the Silent offers to the deaf/hard-of-hearing community. It is because of her ability to communicate via sign language and orally that she is able to unify the Deaf community with the hearing world. Emma Faye is the primary fundraiser and spokesperson for Aid the Silent as well as Executive Director. She also serves as Mission Staff for Deaf Young Life. Emma Faye graduated from the University of Texas at San Antonio Honors College with Highest Honors (1 of 5) and Cum Laude with a BA in Communications and a minor in Non- profit Management. Emma Faye is fluent in ASL & travels with a hearing dog named Hank. . Founder & Executive Director of Aid the Silent . Plays four instruments . Miss San Antonio 2015 & 2017 . Miss Texas 2017 - 4th Runner up . Fiesta Royalty for 2015 & 2017 . San Antonio's Woman of the Year 2018 . 2018 Rising Star for San Antonio Women's Chamber of Commerce . Appointed by Governor Greg Abbott to the Texas Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities - Two Terms until 2022 . Wall of Fame for Morgan's Wonderland . FestForum"Best of Fest for Charity Music Festival" for her Good Vibrations Music Festival . Wheeler's Boutique - Brand Spokesperson: Print ads, Digital Ads, Billboards, Videos . Co-wrote & performs the soundtrack for the documentary "Love Hears"- music video went viral . Barbara Jordan Media Award Winner for Broadcast Winner for the show "Love Hears: Emma Faye Rudkin" . Featured on Texas Country Reporter - Deaf Singer "Love Hears" Emma Faye Rudkin . Over 60 television appearances, 70+ in local and national print, digital publications, radio and podcasts . Over 400 speaking engagements . Ivanhoe Broadcast News Syndication Program - Smart Women: Emma Faye Rudkin . Opened for Lysa TerKeurst, Max Lucado, Ben Rector, Penny & Sparrow, Matt Wertz, Kris Allen and Parachute . Imax Documentary for MacGillivray Freeman Films - Into America's Wild (2020) . Pilots how- ABC's Ordinary to Extraordinary . Oticon People's Choice- Advocacy winner 2020