Emely Thompson, founder of Emely Raechel Consulting, recently brought her AI governance and personal development expertise to Tampa Bay. (Photo submitted by Emely Thompson)

Most attorneys follow a straight line toward partnership. Emely Thompson took the scenic route - one that led her from the trenches of social justice to the complex frontier of AI governance.

Thompson, founder of Emely Raechel Consulting, recently brought her hard-earned perspective to Tampa. She is also proving the best path forward isn’t always paved.

The first-generation Jamaican American and college student is proud of her non-linear route to entrepreneurship. Thompson’s pivot from the criminal justice system to corporate success, then to launching a consultancy firm in a new city, proves that true impact often requires the flexibility to adapt your tools while keeping your North Star.

“I always wanted to be an attorney,” Thompson said. “I saw injustice very early. I saw how adults used different techniques to treat each other. My eyes were opened to that early.”

That exposure fueled a deep-seated drive for justice. Thompson spent her formative legal years in family law, the runaway and homeless youth system, and helped give youth a voice in policymaking with the Center for Court Innovation.

The work mattered, but it was also emotionally taxing and demanded a level of maturity that pushed Thompson to explore different ways to make an impact. She found it with a Fortune 50 insurance conglomerate.

Thompson didn’t just drift into corporate America - she was selected for a competitive program with the company while still completing law school. The pieces began to click into place when she realized her role in a privacy and information security unit was more than just tracking data; it was a front-row seat to the dawn of a new era.  

“I loved comparing the privacy landscape in America versus other countries,” Thompson said. “I loved thinking about the question: ‘Is privacy a right or a privilege?’ Then, as things progressed, there was AI governance. I started digging into LLMs (large-language models), and realized, ‘Whoa, this is going to change everything.’”

Thompson, then living in a small town in Illinois, still felt like she was on the outside looking in at an impending revolution. She and her husband, a software engineer, began researching tech hubs nationwide and eventually set their sights on Tampa Bay.

The two fell in love with the area during a spring break visit last year, and Thompson took a sabbatical in December to meet with like-minded professionals throughout Tampa, Clearwater, and St. Petersburg.

She subsequently moved to Wesley Chapel and launched Emely Raechel Consulting in June. The boutique firm’s initial focus, according to its website, was helping women build careers, businesses, and “lives they are proud of - without sacrificing their authenticity, femininity, or peace.”

“I started to think about everything I went through and did until that point, and how I’m not following a blueprint,” Thompson explained. “My legal career, even what I’m doing in technology, is not traditional.”

The professional development platform, much like its founder, quickly evolved due to demand for her expertise. Thompson is now helping startups, venture-backed businesses, and innovation-heavy organizations navigate the Wild West of AI regulation and compliance.

Emely Thompson (left) launched her consultancy firm in June and remains committed to uplifting ambitious women. (Photo submitted by Emely Thompson)

Whether training teams on the potential pitfalls of introducing LLMs into the workplace or reviewing platforms for human resources and marketing departments to screen for bias, Thompson acts as a tailored guide. While clients may not know exactly what they need, they realize they need help, she said.

“It doesn’t help that we don’t have any overarching legislation that’s guiding us on privacy and how we handle consumer data,” Thompson added. “Now we have this state patchwork system, which is a compliance burden and requires more money, time, and people. From the consumer level, it’s also frustrating.”

Beneath the technical and legal expertise lies a deeply personal ethos. Authenticity isn't a liability for Thompson; it's a strategic asset.

She believes that women, particularly those navigating male-dominated tech spaces, shouldn't feel the need to stifle their personality or ambition to be taken seriously. “Your personal confidence, your dedication to the outcome, your follow-through - that’s what speaks for itself,” Thompson said.

“I love all that I am. I don’t have to hide that through my hair, my clothes, or my colors.”

Thompson’s ascent didn't come with a roadmap or a mentor. She built her career on her own terms by trusting that if she leaned into her faith and intuition, the rest would fall into place.

“I didn’t have that representation growing up,” Thompson said. “I had to figure out how to graduate law school debt-free, how to buy a house, how to navigate these systems on my own.”

That lack of representation is why she remains committed to the professional development side of her consulting firm. Thompson understands that not everyone can thrive on sheer willpower, and wants to show the next generation of ambitious women that they, too, can authentically take a non-linear path to success.

For now,  Thompson is exactly where she needs to be -  the intersection of law, technology, and human potential. “As people do better, society becomes better, and then we can all live a higher quality of life and enjoy this experience,” she said.