Emma Hancock
San Francisco
Summary
English- and Arabic-speaking administrative professional with cross-sector experience spanning asylum litigation, refugee resettlement, and international education. Academic background in International Relations/Peace & Conflict Studies with a regional focus on the MENA/SWANA. Skilled at managing databases, streamlining systems, and coordinating cross-functional teams. Committed to advancing equity, peacebuilding, and civil society efforts across cultures and borders.
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
Work History
Freelance Research & Administrative Assistant
Dr. Véronique Perry (University of Toulouse, France)
2024.10 - Current
- Proofread, formatted, and prepared research presentations on gender, language, and decolonial theory for international conferences
- Supported data cleaning and organizational tasks for large-scale qualitative research projects
Asylum Paralegal & Administrative Associate
O'Brien Immigration
2023.08 - 2024.08
- Supported asylum-seekers from the MENA region, synthesizing human rights reports and legal evidence for USCIS and Immigration Court.
- Managed Salesforce records and implemented firmwide data-cleaning protocols to ensure accurate tracking of client and case progress
- Led firm’s rollout of commuter and health benefits, overseeing internal operations and policy documentation
- Created staff training guides, onboarding materials, and internal workflow systems to improve team operations
Class Teacher
Gems Academy Alexandria
2020.08 - 2022.12
- Developed and delivered inclusive, culturally-responsive lessons to students from diverse MENA backgrounds, fostering intercultural understanding and community-building in a multilingual classroom
- Worked closely with international staff to improve teaching materials and daily classroom processes
- Prepared detailed student progress reports and communicated with families to support student growth and school planning
Critical Language Scholar
United States Department of State
2019.06 - 2019.08
- Awarded a fully-funded scholarship to complete intensive Arabic study through an immersive language and cultural exchange program
Admin/Development Intern
The Tiyya Foundation
2016.06 - 2016.09
- Created the nonprofit’s first digital database to manage refugee program data, increasing efficiency and tracking
- Supported logistics for community events, including a Back-to-School drive for 300+ refugee youth
- Contributed to external communications and donor engagement content across newsletters and social media
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Middle Eastern Studies, Peace & Conflict Studies
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CaliforniaSkills
- CRM Database Management (Salesforce)
- Calendar & Operations Management
- Microsoft Excel (VLOOKUP, Pivot Tables)
- Google Workspace
- Adobe
- Report Writing & Data Cleaning
- Event & Logistics Coordination
- Research & Strategic Communications
- Cross-Cultural Communication
- Arabic
Timeline
Freelance Research & Administrative Assistant
Dr. Véronique Perry (University of Toulouse, France)
2024.10 - Current
Asylum Paralegal & Administrative Associate
O'Brien Immigration
2023.08 - 2024.08
Class Teacher
Gems Academy Alexandria
2020.08 - 2022.12
Critical Language Scholar
United States Department of State
2019.06 - 2019.08
Admin/Development Intern
The Tiyya Foundation
2016.06 - 2016.09
Bachelor of Arts - Middle Eastern Studies, Peace & Conflict Studies
University of California, Berkeley