Emma Smith

Emma Smith is an Initiatives Associate at BENS, where she supports projects that leverage private sector expertise to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of U.S. national security.

Prior to joining BENS, she held several roles at the intersection of national security policy and conflict prevention. Most recently, she was an Assistant Analyst at the UK Ministry of Defence, where she led a project evaluating the future operating environment through 2035 to inform defense planning. Her previous experience includes serving as a Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace Fellow with ReThink Media, Children and Armed Conflict Intern at the U.S. Department of State, and Global Studies Fellow at the Post-Conflict Research Center in Sarajevo.

Emma holds an M.Phil. in International Relations from the University of Oxford and a B.A. in International Relations from Stanford University, where she graduated with honors in International Security.