Olive completed her high school education at Pedro Guevarra Memorial High School in Sta. Cruz, Laguna, and also her hometown. She obtained her BSc. (1978) and MSc. (1991) in Agriculture from the University of  the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB).  Since the completion of her BS degree, she worked as a Research Assistant in the Dairy Training and Research Institute (DTRI), UPLB and rose from the ranks to  her current position as University Researcher II.

Olive served as Affiliate Faculty of Animal Science from 1987-2009. Her numerous accomplishments,  which earned for her, membership to the Philippine Academy of Microbiology (PAM) as Diplomate, include publications in both local and foreign refereed journals, popular articles and leaflets on milk processing, handling and quality control. Her expertise  as Dairy Technologist/Microbiologist was tapped  by both local (as Leader of the Technical Working Group that developed the HACCP Guidelines for Dairy Cooperatives in the Philippines, 1999) and international organizations such as the FAO (as National Consultant for Milk Preservation from 2003-2005). She also served as administrator in various capacities as Plant Operations Officer of the Ministry of Human Settlements from 1982 to 1986, Division Head and Plant Manager of DTRI  from 2005-2007. She was Project  Leader of externally funded projects by the National Dairy Authority, Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Agricultural  Research, JOCV-JICA, Philippine Carabao Center and DOST.

Always a team player and an affable person, Olive is happily married to Valeriano C. Emata and they are blessed with three children: JC, Nina and Justin.