Emma Kaplon

Emma Kaplon is a student in Georgetown University’s joint M.A./J.D. program, pursuing a Master of Arts in Eurasian, Russian, and East European Studies at the Walsh School of Foreign Service alongside her legal studies. She earned dual B.A. degrees in Russian Language and Culture and English and Comparative Literature from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, graduating with Highest Distinction. During her time at UNC, she studied abroad in Yerevan, Armenia through the Advanced Russian Language and Area Studies Program and the Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship.

Emma’s academic and professional work focuses on human rights, freedom of expression, and the Russian-speaking world. As the inaugural Human Rights Fellow at OVD-Info, an independent Russian human rights organization, she translated and localized reporting on political persecution, conducted interviews with anti-war artists, and contributed to legal advocacy and public awareness efforts. She later interned with Freedom Letters Publishing House, an exile publishing house dedicated to promoting literature banned in Russia, where she supported the distribution of censored books and researched funding opportunities for literary translation.

Most recently, Emma worked with the Rule of Law portfolio at the U.S.-Russia Foundation, supporting programs that strengthen legal institutions and expand access to justice for Russians inside the country and across the diaspora.

Through this work, Emma gained firsthand insight into how rule-of-law initiatives can promote accountability and provide meaningful protections for vulnerable communities. She is passionate about international human rights law, freedom of expression, and supporting individuals and communities affected by repression and conflict. In her free time, Emma enjoys writing poetry, experimenting in the kitchen, and going on adventures with her dog, George.