Who Is Outnumbered Host Emily Compagno?

Emily Compagno has wanted to be on television for years. While she was a practicing attorney and a cheerleader for the Oakland Raiders, Compagno expressed that one of her ultimate career goals was to become a legal analyst on a major television network, and she's achieved that goal. Compagno's first legitimate television credit came in 2015 when she appeared on an episode of "Dr. Drew On Call." After that, she slowly continued offering her legal expertise on various Fox programs, such as "Your World with Neil Cavuto" and "Fox News Live" before officially joining the network in December of 2018.

Since then, Compagno has become somewhat of a staple at the network. While she doesn't have her own show, the legal analyst is a co-host of "Outnumbered" and a familiar face on the network's popular series "The Five" and "Gutfeld!" making her an influential voice among those who regularly watch the network. Still, not a ton is known about the television personality. Who exactly is "Outnumbered" host Emily Compagno?

Like anyone, Emily Compagno's childhood had a huge impact on who she is today. The attorney grew up in the Bay Area with her parents and two sisters, her father serving as a pathologist at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology. "My dad was a commander in the U.S. Navy with three daughters — you can imagine the tight ship that was our family household!" Compagno shared in an essay she wrote for Fox News. "Before I could go out with friends I had to get my room 'ready for inspection,' and a good chunk of our family bonding time besides the kids' activities were definitely all the chores we did." Several other members of the legal analyst's family have served in the military, accounting for her deep passion for veterans' affairs.

As a child, Compagno took dance lessons and performed quite frequently, including yearly performances of the classic Christmas ballet "The Nutcracker." As an adult, Compagno is still fond of performances and performing herself. The legal analyst also spent time when she was younger at her family's winery, Ardiri Winery & Vineyards, and she still gets back there as an adult to help out. "Lots of hard work, sweat, & joyful effort to reap these gorgeous grapes on our small farm & bring lots of yummy wine to you & your families," Compagno shared on Instagram.

If there's any concern over whether Emily Compagno is qualified for the job she has now, it's unfounded. The Fox News analyst is highly educated, and she's got plenty of experience in law, informing her analysis and opinions she shares on TV. Compagno received her bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Washington and her Juris Doctor from the University of San Francisco School of Law.

Compagno didn't just spend her time studying at either institution. While earning her undergraduate degree, she also earned the U.S. Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps' Cadet of the Quarter Award, and while earning her law degree, she served as president of the Federalist Society and articles editor of the Intellectual Property Law Bulletin. Compagno traveled, too. "I had the honor of sailing around the world on a study abroad program and visiting 13 countries, and it opened my eyes to so much peril and trauma that was happening," she told Barrett Media.

After her second graduation, Compagno began practicing law. The television personality has been a federal managing attorney and Acting Director at the Social Security Administration, and she's practiced privately, too. Amid her busy life, Compagno still finds time to cheer on her alma mater. In 2024, the attorney attended a University of Washington football game against The Pennsylvania State University at Beaver Stadium, seemingly sitting in a suite for the matchup, and despite her allegiance to her former school, attending alongside two former Penn State legends, Jay Paterno and Tom Bradley. A football fan through and through, Compagno expressed her excitement to watch the future rematch. "We've been looking forward to this match up for years!" Compagno wrote on Instagram. "And now the rematch in 2026... Seattle!"

Any football fanatics who cheered for the Raiders while the team was still based in Oakland might remember seeing Emily Compagno on the sideline in the late 2000s. At the beginning of her law career, Compagno was also a Raiders cheerleader, better known as a Raiderette. Though not full time, the position was a major time commitment, so much so that she wasn't able to audition to be a Raiderette until she was a practicing attorney and had more available time. 

Compagno kept her two worlds fairly separate. "People in the legal field are always surprised when they learn I'm a Raiderette. I don't broadcast it; I don't have my team poster in the office. And there's equal surprise when people first know me as a Raiderette and find out I'm an attorney," she wrote for SFGate while she was still a cheerleader.

Cheering for the Raiders was something that Compagno had wanted to do for years. The attorney grew up dancing and loved performing, so the position allowed her to continue doing something she loved while also practicing law. As Compagno said, her continuation as a Raiderette was completely out of love. "This isn't a lucrative position by any means. But you definitely don't do it for the money. You do it because you love it. And you do. It's absolutely worth it. I would do it if I made nothing," she wrote. Compagno ended her run as a Raiderette as captain of her squad.

Emily Compagno has traveled near and far for her job, and she's been doing it for years. Before and while Compagno was a criminal defense attorney, the television host took trips to multiple other continents to hone her legal mind. During law school, Compagno had an internship in Cape Town, South Africa, and later got the opportunity to practice law in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Compagno has also volunteered in other African nations, and for several years, she commuted from the West Coast to the East for work. All of her trips have made Compagno somewhat of an expert on business travel, and she's shared her tips for a good flight. "Earplugs, eye mask, noise-canceling headphones, cozy socks, plenty of hydrating creams — and less is more!" Compagno told Fox News of her in-flight essentials.

Compagno's time as an NFL cheerleader also provided her with unique travel opportunities. As an NFL Ambassador, Compagno promoted NFL China in multiple major Chinese cities, and she was one of five NFL cheerleaders selected to visit United States troops while stationed in the Middle East. "In June 2009, while an NFL cheerleader, I had the honor of visiting the troops deployed to Kuwait & Iraq alongside 4 of my fellow Raiderettes. It was an incredible two weeks, & the privilege of a lifetime to serve as an ambassador from home to those brave men & women serving our country so far away," Compagno shared on Instagram.

Despite being on television almost every day, Emily Compagno keeps much of her private life just that. Compagno long kept her life off of social media, and while she eventually gave in to Instagram, she still refuses to create a Facebook profile. Because of her carefully curated media presence, it's hard to know much about the legal analyst's personal life beyond what she shares, especially concerning her personal relationships.

It's been reported, however, that Compagno got married to Pete Riley, an entrepreneur, in 2017, and that the two exchanged vows in Italy. Photos seemingly confirming the union and location have circulated the web, though Compagno has never addressed them, nor has she shared any on her own. Compagno's marriage doesn't seem to have lasted, though. In 2024, while on Fox Business, Compagno shared that she was engaged and going to become a wife in the near future, so the legal analyst has apparently moved on from her Italian nuptials.

Emily Compagno has a variety of interests that might surprise some, like her love of muscle cars. The political analyst spends ample time with other motorheads at their garages, and attends car shows where she gets to see plenty of muscle cars. Compagno is especially fond of her own muscle car, a 1972 Ford Mustang Mach 1. The attorney drove the car for over a decade before having it restored and re-fabricated — the classic car now has a new engine, transmission, and tires, making it much more reliable for all the traveling Compagno does with it. Somewhat controversially among her fans, Compagno's car is bright orange with flames on the sides. But Compagno stands behind her decision. "I had this vision of it essentially looking like a giant Hot Wheel," Compagno said of the vehicle in a video she shared on Instagram. "They make my heart sing. I love them. I love flames," she added, noting some of the other items in her life that also bear the design.

Compagno has proven she's not just a fan of muscle cars, though — she loves vehicles of all kinds. The TV personality has shared moments on social media where she's gotten to check out other forms of transportation, like in 2023 when she had the opportunity to sit in the cockpit of a fighter jet. Passionate about supporting veterans, Compagno has also ridden on the back of a Harley with a former member of the armed forces, and much to her liking, the bike was outfitted with flames.

Emily Compagno is well aware that she's in a position to make change in the world, and she wants to use her influence in a positive way. "I'm very conscious that every time I open my mouth on Fox, I'm a steward of the viewer's time, and [the viewer's time is of] the utmost importance to me, that I use that time wisely for them so that anyone watching doesn't feel I wasted it and comes away hopefully being a little bit better for it," Compagno told Barrett Media. "Educate, inform, inspire and entertain," she noted is her mantra. One way she informs and inspires is by sharing about the philanthropic organizations she works with, and Compagno has a multitude of them, many of which are concerned with animals and veterans. Among her favorite charities are K9 Hurricane's Heroes, Pawsitive Change, Dogs for Our Brave, and U.S.VETS.

Compagno's passion for serving others didn't just come when she started her career on television — it far predates the airwaves. Before ever stepping foot in front of a Fox News camera, Compagno traveled to various countries in Africa to aid those in need, and helped Americans affected by Hurricane Katrina. "It was one year after Hurricane Katrina and that was with God's Katrina Kitchen. We served three meals a day, just off the sand to those who had been rendered homeless or without any food options after Katrina," she said.

For those who don't get enough of Emily Compagno on screen, they can find more of her words in print as she's now a published author. But they'll find more than just Compagno's words, as the book, "Under His Wings," shares first-person stories from veterans. "From unforgiving prisoner of war camps in Vietnam to the bloody battles of World War II, from special operators outnumbered in Middle East hot zones to Gold Star families navigating the wake of the Ultimate Sacrifice, these phenomenal firsthand accounts traverse history," said a description of the book on Instagram. The book also has a spiritual angle, as each story recounts how the veteran's experiences in combat led them to find faith.

Those who've watched Compagno on television won't find the content of the book surprising — the legal analyst has long been passionate about championing veterans, and she's very open about the important role faith plays in her life. Compagno shares these tenets in her life on television, as well as on social media. "Prayer is my constant, my fundamental state, my perpetual conversation. The first thing I do every morning when I open my eyes is pray the Prayer of Jabez, & from that time forward until I close my eyes at night I'm continuously thanking Him, leaning on Him, calling on Him," Compagno wrote on Instagram, sharing a photo of herself praying in public.

Emily Compagno loves to go all out for Halloween, at least in the costume department. The television personality has loved a good costume since she was a child, and as an adult, she takes every opportunity to completely transform over the holiday. In 2022, Compagno dressed up as a white tiger, using the help of a makeup artist, a pair of colored contacts, and some prosthetic fangs to complete her disguise. The year before that, Compagno dressed as a peacock, and while visiting a haunted house, she found a bird cage to serendipitously complete her costume. The attorney also uses Halloween as an opportunity to give back. Multiple times Compagno has celebrated the holiday at a party held by the Candlelighters, an organization dedicated to helping the families of children who are diagnosed with cancer.

Compagno doesn't completely reserve her holiday joy for Halloween, though — the legal analyst also loves to celebrate Christmas. She's taken the time to share some of her favorite Christmas traditions via social media. "One of my all-time favorite traditions every year was opening a tiny box of my favorite chocolates on Christmas morning, and inside was our family ticket to Yosemite in my dad's handwriting," Compagno shared on Instagram. She's also got a definite opinion on Christmas lights. "I'm white all the way, with a few exceptions: Colored lights for Christmas cabins & cozy abodes, for our great tree at the family winery, & for all my sweet childhood trees growing up," she wrote on Instagram.

If Emily Compagno can't be found in a Fox News studio, at a car show, or at a charity event, she can probably be found at the gym. The television personality is a total gym rat, making fitness a priority no matter what else she's got going on. Compagno shares her workouts on Instagram occasionally, giving followers an inside look at what she does to stay in shape. The TV host works with personal trainer Bret Contreras, and her regimen consists of dynamic and classic moves, using both body weight and equipment to increase the intensity of her reps. Compagno knows how challenging it can be to stay on top of a workout routine, and does what she can to provide support for her followers. "Hard work is just that. Keep at it. And if you need encouragement, I'm here for you," Compagno said on Instagram. "You're strong enough for the load you're bearing — in grace & in strength!" she said in another post. She's even impressed her Fox News companion, Tomi Lahren with her workout routine.  

Compagno's dedication to fitness is evident in the skills she's retained. While many former cheerleaders and dancers lose the ability to do handstands and other difficult moves, she's proven that she still can. In 2024, Compagno shared a quick video of herself doing a handstand on grass, and earlier that year, she shared another of herself completing one while on a paddle board in the ocean.