If you’ve searched “Emily Compagno husband,” you’ve probably come across a mix of outdated facts, outright myths, and a confusing name that keeps popping up: Jon Skoog. This article cuts through all of it. Here is the complete, accurate story of Emily Compagno’s marriage to Peter Riley, how they met, who he is, what financial troubles surfaced, why the marriage ended, and where Emily stands today. Whether you’re a longtime Fox News viewer or just discovering her story, this is the definitive resource.
Profile Summary
| Attribute | Information |
| Emily’s Full Name | Emily Rose Compagno |
| Date of Birth | November 9, 1979 |
| Peter Riley’s Birth Year | 1979 |
| Peter’s Hometown | Portland, Oregon |
| Wedding Date | September 13, 2017 |
| Wedding Venue | Villa Cimbrone, Ravello, Italy |
| Peter’s Career | Data analyst, tech sales (NVIDIA), real estate broker |
| Divorce Finalized | Late 2025 |
| Children | None confirmed |
| Emily’s Current Spouse | Derek Hedt (married 2026) |
Who Is Emily Compagno?
Emily Rose Compagno is one of the most recognizable personalities on American television. Born on November 9, 1979, at Naval Hospital Oakland in California, she grew up in El Cerrito with two sisters, Natalie and Julietta, in a household shaped by military service. Her father, John Compagno, was a U.S. Navy Commander and physician, a background that instilled in Emily a deep respect for discipline and public service.
What makes her story genuinely compelling is how many different worlds she has navigated, and excelled in, simultaneously.
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Her Career Before Fox News
Emily’s academic foundation is as strong as her on-air presence suggests. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Washington, where she also served as a U.S. Air Force ROTC cadet and received the Cadet of the Quarter Award. She went on to earn her Juris Doctor from the University of San Francisco School of Law in 2006, where she served as president of the Federalist Society and articles editor of the Intellectual Property Bulletin.
After passing the California bar, she worked as a criminal defense attorney in San Francisco, handling white-collar cases, juvenile matters, and civil litigation. She later served as a Senior Judge Judicial Extern for the Hon. John T. Noonan at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and went on to become a federal managing attorney and Acting Director at the Social Security Administration, one of the ten largest federal agencies in the country.
Meanwhile, in a chapter that surprises most people, she simultaneously served as captain of the Oakland Raiders’ Raiderettes cheerleading squad. The NFL selected her as an ambassador, sending her to promote the league in Beijing and Shanghai. She was also one of just five NFL cheerleaders chosen by the USO to visit U.S. troops stationed in Iraq and Kuwait.
Her international legal work extended to Cape Town, South Africa and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, adding a global dimension to an already extraordinary résumé. In 2018, she joined Fox News as a legal analyst and contributor. By January 2021, she was named a permanent co-host of Outnumbered, alongside Harris Faulkner and Kayleigh McEnany. She also hosts The FOX True Crime Podcast and launched her New York Times bestselling book, Under His Wings, in November 2024.
Her Public Persona vs. Private Life
On camera, Emily Compagno is sharp, confident, and articulate. Off camera, she has maintained an almost deliberate wall around her personal life. She rarely discusses relationships on air, avoids family drama in public forums, and has never used her platform to address personal controversies. This contrast, a very public career, a very private personal life, is precisely what makes questions about her marriage so persistent.
Who Is Peter Riley, Emily Compagno’s Husband?
Peter Riley is an American professional best known to the public as Emily Compagno’s ex-husband. Despite years in the orbit of a high-profile media personality, he has never given a press interview, maintained a visible social media presence, or made any public statements about his marriage or its end. He is, in every sense, a private person.
His Background and Education
Riley was born in Portland, Oregon, in 1979, making him roughly the same age as Emily. He is believed to have studied Political Science at the University of Washington, the same institution Emily attended, which is likely where their paths first crossed during their formative years. Beyond that, his personal background remains largely out of the public record by his own apparent choice.
His Professional Career
Peter Riley has built a steady professional life across two distinct industries:
- Data Analysis (2003–2008): After graduating from university, Riley worked as a data analyst in Portland, Oregon, developing a foundation in technology and quantitative work.
- Technology Sales: He later transitioned into enterprise technology sales, holding roles at prominent firms including Palo Alto Networks, Netskope, and most recently NVIDIA, where he worked as a Senior Account Manager, a senior-level position within the company’s sales division.
- Real Estate: Riley also worked as a real estate broker at Berkshire Hathaway NW Real Estate in Vancouver, Washington, where he was previously ranked among the top 10 agents in Southwest Washington, a meaningful achievement in a competitive market.
He is neither a media personality nor a public official. His professional identity is defined entirely by his own work, independent of his ex-wife’s fame.
How Emily and Peter Met
From Teenagers to Strangers to Married
The origin story of Emily and Peter’s relationship is the kind of thing that makes people believe in timing. They first encountered each other as teenagers in high school in the Pacific Northwest, a brief connection in what would have been two very full young lives. After graduating, they went their separate ways, spending nearly two decades building separate careers, lives, and identities.
The reconnection happened entirely by chance. According to multiple accounts, the two ran into each other on a Seattle sidewalk, an unplanned, random encounter that reignited something neither had expected. This time, they stayed in touch. From that sidewalk reunion, a relationship developed gradually, eventually becoming something serious enough to lead to marriage.
It is a story that reads more like fiction than biography, and that romantic foundation clearly meant something to both of them.
Their Wedding at Villa Cimbrone
On September 13, 2017, Emily Compagno and Peter Riley were married at Villa Cimbrone in Ravello, Italy, a clifftop estate on the Amalfi Coast renowned as one of the most breathtaking wedding venues in the world. The ceremony was intimate, attended only by close friends and family. No press coverage, no red carpet, no social media reveal. Just two people choosing each other in a stunning setting.
The choice of venue spoke volumes about their priorities: beauty and meaning over pageantry and publicity.
Financial Troubles and the End of the Marriage
What the Reports Said
The public story of trouble in Emily and Peter’s marriage began with financial reports that circulated in late 2024. Multiple outlets reported that Peter Riley faced a federal judgment of approximately $880,000 in unpaid taxes, penalties, and fees. The financial difficulties were reportedly tied to a combination of factors: failed investments in cryptocurrency, losses connected to a space technology startup, and significant personal spending on travel and living expenses.
The scale of the reported judgment was striking, nearly a million dollars in federal tax exposure is not a minor accounting problem. Emily, for her part, made no public comments. She continued her on-air appearances without interruption, gave no interviews about the situation, and offered no statement either defending or distancing herself from the reports. That silence, given the magnitude of the financial claims, only intensified public speculation.
Neither Emily nor Peter has ever officially confirmed a causal link between the financial difficulties and the end of their marriage. The connection has been widely inferred by media coverage, but it remains unconfirmed by either party.
The Divorce
The signals that the marriage was ending emerged gradually rather than through any dramatic announcement. Emily stopped wearing her wedding ring during on-air appearances. Joint public appearances with Peter ceased entirely. References to her husband in interviews or social commentary disappeared.
By late 2025, multiple sources, including entries in publicly accessible records, confirmed that the divorce had been finalized. No children were involved. No press release was issued. Emily handled the end of her marriage with the same intentional privacy she applied to its beginning. She let the facts emerge on their own schedule.
The Jon Skoog Mix-Up
Setting the Record Straight
If you have searched Emily Compagno’s name in recent years, you have almost certainly encountered the name Jon Skoog presented as her husband or fiancé. It is one of the most persistent pieces of misinformation circulating about her, and it needs a clear correction.
Jon Skoog is not Emily Compagno’s husband. He never was.
Jon Skoog is married to Julietta Compagno, Emily’s sister. That makes Jon Skoog Emily’s brother-in-law, nothing more. The confusion likely originated when tabloid aggregators, scanning through Compagno family photos on social media after Emily’s marriage to Peter Riley became publicly known to be over, spotted Skoog tagged alongside Emily in family photos. Without verifying his relationship to the family, several outlets incorrectly identified him as Emily’s new partner. From there, the misinformation spread rapidly.
Some versions of the story have gone further, fabricating elaborate biographies for Skoog, describing him as a “former MLB player” or “fitness entrepreneur.” None of that is accurate. Jon Skoog’s only verified connection to Emily Compagno is as her sister’s husband.
What Happened After the Divorce
Her Engagement in August 2024
On August 28, 2024, Emily Compagno confirmed her engagement during an appearance on Fox Business. She showed her engagement ring, described by jewelry experts as featuring a 1.5 to 2-carat round brilliant-cut diamond in a classic solitaire setting with a platinum band, but she did not name her fiancé at the time. The announcement was characteristically understated: she shared the fact of her engagement without turning it into a media event.
The identity of her fiancé remained publicly unknown for several months, consistent with how Emily has always handled her personal life.
Her Marriage to Derek Hedt in 2026
Emily Compagno married Derek Hedt in 2026, completing a quiet but significant personal transition in the years following her divorce from Peter Riley. Derek Hedt is a real estate broker professionally based in Vancouver, Washington, where he has built a successful career in residential property. He is not a media figure and, much like Peter Riley before him, appears to prefer life away from his spouse’s public spotlight.
As of 2026, Emily continues to co-host Outnumbered on Fox News and host The FOX True Crime Podcast, maintaining one of the most active careers in cable news. Her marriage to Derek Hedt marks a new personal chapter, one that began, like most things in her private life, largely on her own terms and timeline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Emily Compagno’s husband in 2026?
As of 2026, Emily Compagno is married to Derek Hedt, a real estate broker based in Vancouver, Washington.
When did Emily Compagno and Peter Riley get married?
They married on September 13, 2017, at Villa Cimbrone in Ravello, Italy.
Why did Emily Compagno and Peter Riley divorce?
No official reason was ever publicly stated. Reports linked financial difficulties on Riley’s part, including a reported $880,000 federal tax judgment, to the breakdown of the marriage, though neither party confirmed a direct cause.
Is Jon Skoog Emily Compagno’s husband?
No. Jon Skoog is married to Emily’s sister, Julietta Compagno. He is Emily’s brother-in-law, not her husband or ex-husband.
Do Emily Compagno and Peter Riley have children?
No children from the marriage have been publicly confirmed.
When did Emily Compagno get engaged after her divorce?
Emily confirmed her engagement on August 28, 2024, during a Fox Business appearance.
Where did Emily and Peter Riley get married?
They were married at Villa Cimbrone, a historic estate on the Amalfi Coast in Ravello, Italy.
What does Peter Riley do for work?
Peter Riley has worked as a data analyst, technology sales executive at companies including Palo Alto Networks, Netskope, and NVIDIA, and as a real estate broker at Berkshire Hathaway NW Real Estate.
Conclusion
The story of Emily Compagno and Peter Riley is one of genuine romance, real-world complications, and a quiet, dignified ending. From a teenage encounter in Pacific Northwest high school hallways to cliffside vows on the Amalfi Coast, and eventually to a privately handled divorce, their journey tells a human story that doesn’t fit neatly into any tabloid headline.
Peter Riley remains a man defined by professional accomplishment and an unwavering commitment to private life, a contrast that, in its own way, made him an appropriate match for someone as publicly exposed as Emily Compagno. And Emily herself, now married to Derek Hedt and as professionally active as ever, has navigated every chapter of her personal life with a consistency of character: measured, intentional, and always on her own terms.
What stands clear from all the facts is this, Emily Compagno’s personal story is as layered as her professional one, and both deserve to be told accurately.
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