Staff Profile: Emma Schiller Turns Global Experience into Local Impact
As Told to the Bulletin Editor
Emma Schiller is KCBA’s Records Project legal assistant and its Pro Bono Services coordinator. Emma is a resident of the world; she was born in Seattle, grew up in San Diego, lived for a few years in Barcelona, Spain, and graduated high school in a small town in Southwest Washington across the river from Portland. The daughter of two Husky alumni, she spent her childhood dreaming of going to the University of Washington and studying to be a doctor — helping others. However, as she grew into a young adult, a new passion emerged in international politics and human rights.
After her freshman fall quarter at UW, where she took Introduction to International Studies, her mind was made up. As she battled through the transition to Zoom classes during the COVID-19 pandemic, she focused on taking as many courses related to international human rights and politics as she could, culminating in a double major in international studies, with a focus on international human rights, and political science, with a focus on political economy. Simultaneously, she completed a minor in diversity and Spanish.
After graduating early in December 2022, Emma began her legal career in personal injury. While there, she developed a number of skills that one could never learn in the classroom, such as knowing how to respectfully hound medical records companies for her clients, deliver difficult news sensitively, and support case managers and attorneys.
In May 2024, Emma began her position with KCBA. During her time here, she has seen firsthand how life-changing the Records Project’s work can be. The Records Project assists individuals with vacating eligible convictions in King County.
As one of two staff members working on the Records Project, Emma directly assists potential and current clients. She speaks with people who are tired of struggling to find housing, who are excited for a new lease on life, or who want to work in a particular field but can’t due to limits on occupational licenses. She listens to some of them vent or cry about their circumstances and does her best to instill hope in those who need it. She also gets to celebrate with clients who have had their convictions vacated and send them into a new, beautiful, unfamiliar life.
Simultaneously, as Pro Bono Services coordinator, Emma connects volunteers with the necessary programs and communicates with any potential PBS client who has questions. She listens to their needs and does her best to provide them with the information and resources they need.
To learn about KCBA Pro Bono Services, visit https://kcba.org/?pg=Pro-Bono-Services.
To learn about the Records Project, visit https://kcba.org/?pg=The-Records-Project. The Records Project is seeking new volunteers. If you’re interested in volunteering with this or any other KCBA program, please fill out our volunteer application form at https://kcba.org/?pg=Volunteer-Application.
