While working on her degree, Erna became an avid community activist for immigrant/refugee rights. Her research interests focused on mental health, specifically trauma, in refugees coming from war zones. She is passionate about creating collective efforts that contribute to the flourishing of our immigrant communities. She is currently secretary for the Hartford Commission on Refugee and Immigrant Affairs. She also works as Program Manager at the Center for Hartford Engagement and Research (CHER).  
 
Erna was born in Switzerland and came to the United States as a refugee with her family from Bosnia and Herzegovina. She has been an advocate for genocide awareness and prevention due to her family’s survival of the Srebrenica genocide. She has conducted research on hate speech against human rights activists in the Balkans and is interested in expanding her human rights research to include transitional justice and advocating for the safety of migrants in the Balkans.