Emily Compagno

Compagno was born at Naval Hospital Oakland to John Compagno and Katherine Bertsch. Her father served as a physician and Commander in the U.S. Navy Medical Service Corps. Military service runs deep in her family. Relatives across multiple generations served in both World Wars, including her great-great-uncle Joseph Lorenz, an Army private killed in World War I. Compagno grew up in El Cerrito, California, alongside her sisters Natalie and Julietta.

She married real estate agent Peter Reilly in Ravello, Italy, on September 14, 2017. They later divorced. Compagno is Roman Catholic and volunteers with organizations supporting military veterans, law enforcement officers, and working K9 units. She keeps a Doberman named Duchess.

Compagno graduated with a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Washington. During college, she trained in the Air Force ROTC program for two years and earned the Cadet of the Quarter Award. She completed her law degree at the University of San Francisco School of Law in 2006. While there, she led the school's Federalist Society chapter and edited the Intellectual Property Law Bulletin.

After passing the California bar, Compagno took cases as a criminal defense attorney in San Francisco. She also externed for Senior Judge John T. Noonan Jr. on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Later, she served as a federal managing attorney and Acting Director at the Social Security Administration from 2010 to 2014, overseeing administrative contracts and employment disputes. She completed international legal assignments in Cape Town and Rio de Janeiro before passing the Washington State bar.

While practicing criminal defense in the Bay Area, Compagno auditioned for the Oakland Raiders cheerleading squad. She made the team and served as captain of the Raiderettes between 2007 and 2010.

The NFL selected her as a brand ambassador to promote American football in Beijing and Shanghai. The assignment involved international public appearances and community outreach. The USO also selected Compagno as one of five NFL cheerleaders sent to Iraq and Kuwait to visit deployed American service members.

Fox News hired Compagno as a contributor and legal analyst in 2018. She frequently offered legal commentary on daytime broadcasts and joined panel discussions on Gutfeld! and The Five. In March 2020, Fox Nation premiered her hosting debut on the series Crimes That Changed America.

In January 2021, she became a permanent co-host on Outnumbered alongside Harris Faulkner and Kayleigh McEnany. Her work expanded across audio and print. She launched The FOX True Crime Podcast on Fox News Radio in February 2023. She also authored Under His Wings: How Faith on the Front Lines Has Protected American Troops, which reached number one on the New York Times bestseller list. Later hosting assignments included Fox Nation specials such as Hero Dogs and Weapons of War, along with co-hosting the Army 250 Parade in 2025.