Dr. Emily Mao was raised in Los Angeles and attended UCLA, majoring in Microbiology. During her college years, she performed genetic research and published an article in the Journal of Bacteriology, on defects in DNA repair . Following graduation, she traveled to Taiwan and attended Shr Da University to study Chinese Language and Arts. Dr. Mao then moved to East Lansing to attend veterinary school at Michigan State University. After completing a 1-year internship in Medicine and Surgery at VCA West Los Angeles, she practiced in Studio City for several years. She had the privilege to treat animals from the Playboy Mansion Zoo and also appeared on several episodes of Tamed and Uncut, a series on Animal Planet. Dr. Mao then moved to Huntington Beach in 2009, where she joined VCA Animal Hospitals. She became an associate at VCA Los Altos in April of 2014. Her special interests include advanced dentistry, emergency medicine, and soft tissue surgery, with an emphasis on preventative care.

In her free time, Dr. Mao enjoys power yoga, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors, with Yosemite being one of her favorite hiking destinations. She resides with her husband, a "Pomapoo" (pomeranian/poodle mix) named Delilaha, and two young daughters who have become avid animal lovers.