Cybersecurity Policy & Emergency Management Specialist

Alya Mahmoud Mohammed Alhalabi

Al Khawaneej *, Dubai, United Arab Emirates +971-**-***-**** ************@*******.*** Nationality: State of Palestine Date of Birth: May 24, 2000 UAE Light Vehicle Driving License (Automatic) PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Bilingual Emergency Management and Homeland Security professional (MA, GPA 4.0/4.0) specializing in cybersecurity policy, business continuity, and risk analysis. Experienced across governmental, academic, and private-sector settings in the UAE and North America, including business continuity planning, GIS-based hazard analysis, research translation, and institutional resilience strategy. Certified in FEMA ICS/IMS frameworks, Esri GIS tools, and cybersecurity fundamentals. Native Arabic speaker, fluent in English and French. EDUCATION

MA, Emergency Management and Homeland Security Graduated 2026, with Distinction Arizona State University, Arizona, USA Specialization: Cybersecurity Policy and Management GPA: 4.0/4.0

• Relevant Coursework: Hazard Governance, Program Evaluation for EMHS, Integrated Emergency Management, Homeland Security, IT in Emergency Management, Terrorism/Weapons of Mass Destruction, Intersector Coordination for EMHS, GIS for Hazard Analysis, Applied Data Analysis in Criminology Bachelor of Public Safety (Honours), Specialization in Emergency Management September 2020 - August 2024

Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Technology, Ottawa, Canada

• Named to the Dean's Honor List, 2024, for achieving a 3.7 GPA

• Relevant Coursework: Emergency and Business Continuity Management, Security Systems Design, Incident Management Systems, Applied GIS, Public Safety Policy, Emergency Planning and Exercise Management PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Research Translation & Transcription Contractor (Independent Contractor) April 2026 - May 2026 Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research, Ras Al Khaimah, UAE

• Translated and transcribed 594+ minutes of Arabic-language qualitative interviews across approximately 46-48 research cases for the Foundation's Out-of-School Children Project

• Maintained linguistic accuracy, contextual integrity, confidentiality, and research documentation standards while independently managing project deliverables

• Completed assigned deliverables ahead of schedule and supported research data collection and reporting activities Intern June 2023 - July 2023

Emirates NBD, Dubai, UAE

Student Rapporteur (Contract, Hybrid) February 2022 - May 2022 Conference of Defence Associations Institute, Ottawa, Canada

• Served as official rapporteur for high-level defense conferences, including the Ottawa Conference on Security and Defence and CDAI's Annual General Meetings

• Delivered a high-impact presentation at a global defense conference co-sponsored by KPMG, Lockheed Martin, and other industry leaders

• Contributed to the Montreal Climate Security Summit

• Maintained strict confidentiality while liaising with senior government and military officials

• Authored strategic briefing papers for senior leadership and supported key institutional initiatives VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE

Emergency Management Volunteer December 2021 - January 2025 Canadian Red Cross, Ottawa, Canada

Volunteer Coach February 2024 - February 2025

Girls on the Run, Ottawa, Canada

Volunteer April 2024

Disaster Recovery Institute Canada

• Assisted in organizing a full-day event at the DRI Canada Symposium CERTIFICATIONS & PROFESSIONAL LICENSES

Emergency Management

• ICS 200 - FEMA, August 2025

• CIRTL Practitioner - Arizona State University, July 2025

• ICS 100 - Sandhurst Consulting (Alberta EMA Certified), valid until 2028

• IMS 300 - Emergency Management Ontario, May 2024

• IMS 200 - Emergency Management Ontario, April 2024

• Opioid Poisoning First Aid & CPR - Canadian Red Cross, June 2023

• AWR 923: Radiological Emergency Management - FEMA, June 2024

• PER 939: High-Risk Explosives Sweep - FEMA, June 2024 GIS (Esri)

• Spatial Analysis, October 2023

• Interpolating Points, October 2023

• Crime Analysis and Visualization, September 2023

• Location-Enabling Data: ArcGIS Pro & Online, October 2023 Cybersecurity (Texas A&M University)

• Disaster Recovery for Information Systems, December 2023

• Information Risk Management, December 2023

• Cyber Ethics, December 2023

• Detecting and Responding to a Cyber Attack, December 2023

• Cybersecurity in the Workplace, December 2023

PUBLICATIONS & PRESENTATIONS

Future of Women Conference February 22-23, 2027

Bangkok, Thailand

• Selected as an invited presenter and as Decade Ambassador for the UAE Applied Research Project: Cyber Resilience and Operational Preparedness in Critical Infrastructure: Addressing Hybrid Threats and Emerging Technologies Through a Homeland Security Framework May 2025

Arizona State University, Master of Arts in Emergency Management and Homeland Security

• Conducted applied research examining cyber resilience and operational preparedness within critical infrastructure sectors through a homeland security framework

• Analyzed cybersecurity risks, hybrid threats, and the operational impacts of emerging technologies on critical national infrastructure

• Evaluated resilience challenges facing the financial services and nuclear energy sectors, with emphasis on continuity of operations and risk mitigation

• Assessed current preparedness frameworks and identified opportunities to strengthen organizational resilience against complex and evolving threat environments

• Developed evidence-based recommendations to enhance security, operational readiness, and strategic resilience planning

• Produced a comprehensive graduate-level research report integrating homeland security, emergency management, and critical infrastructure protection principles

Graduate Student Conference 2025, Conference of Defence Associations Institute (CDAI) May 2025 Algonquin College The Technology Session

• Presented original research, “Shifting the Paradigm: Integrating Predictive Analytics and UAV Technology for Proactive Emergency Preparedness in Canada,” as part of the Technology Session

• Selected as the first-ever and only Emirati delegate

• Comparative Analysis of Emergency Management Frameworks: A Case Study of Canada and Australia, December 2023

• Faith, Freedom, and Fractures: An Analysis of Quebec's Bill 21, December 2023 AWARDS & HONORS

First Place, UAE Innovation Month 2018 (awarded two consecutive years) Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department (IACAD), Government of Dubai

• Awarded first place, presented by the Government of Dubai, for an original invention: a drone engineered to pollinate palm trees

SKILLS

Leadership & Management: Crisis Planning & Response (ICS 100, IMS 300), Team Leadership, Project Management Technical Proficiency: IT Systems & Security Design (Linux, Windows, Python, Java), GIS Tools (ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Online), Data Analysis (JASP), Incident Management Systems (DisasterLAN) Languages: Arabic (Native), English (Fluent), French (Fluent)

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