Public Administration · Urban Policy · Community Advocacy

Syeda
Rehman

Researcher, administrator, and community advocate committed to equitable public service.

8+
Years in Nonprofit Administration
3
Languages Spoken
UCLA
B.A. Sociology, Honors
LA
South Los Angeles County

About

Committed to community
and the public good

I am an aspiring public sector leader with a strong commitment to serving underserved communities across Los Angeles. My work sits at the intersection of policy analysis, nonprofit administration, and grassroots community engagement, with a particular focus on immigrant and low-income populations.

As a Sociology Honors student at UCLA, I am completing an undergraduate thesis examining how large-scale urban redevelopment projects accelerated the displacement of long-term residents and small business owners in Inglewood. I believe research is most powerful when it directly informs policy and amplifies the voices of those most affected.

For over eight years, I have served as a volunteer administrator at AlSajdah Academy in Lomita, supporting educational programming for immigrant and low-income families. This work, alongside my legal aid experience, has shaped my conviction that equitable public administration is not just an institutional goal but a moral imperative.

I am pursuing graduate education in public administration to expand my expertise in policy analysis and program evaluation, with the goal of strengthening public institutions that serve diverse communities.

Research

Work that examines
power and place

01

From Revitalization to Displacement: Tracking the Impact of SoFi Stadium on Inglewood's Residents and Small Businesses

An examination of urban redevelopment, municipal decision-making, and community displacement patterns resulting from the construction of SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with residents, small business owners, and community stakeholders, this research documents lived experiences of gentrification and proposes implications for equitable public sector planning.

UCLA Department of Sociology — Undergraduate Honors Thesis

Experience

Eight years of service
and administration

Feb 2017 – Present

Volunteer Administrator

AlSajdah Academy — Lomita, CA

Supporting educational programming and operations for a nonprofit serving predominantly immigrant and low-income families. Manages community inquiries, enrollment, compliance documentation, and day-to-day administration with cultural competence across multilingual populations.

2025 – 2026

Independent Researcher

UCLA Sociology Honors Program

Conducting policy-relevant qualitative research on urban displacement in Inglewood. Methods include semi-structured interviews, fieldwork, and comparative analysis of community impacts from large-scale public infrastructure development.

Aug – Sep 2023

Legal Assistant (Volunteer)

Law Offices of Virginia Marsh — Rancho Palos Verdes, CA

Prepared and filed legal documentation for community legal aid clients. Conducted culturally sensitive client intake with diverse populations and maintained organized case management systems.

2000 – Present

Operations & Program Manager

Household — Harbor City, CA

Overseeing complex logistics, budgeting, and educational program development for a household of eight. Designing individualized curricula across multiple grade levels and coordinating with diverse service providers — demonstrating applied skills in program evaluation, financial management, and stakeholder communication.

Education

Academic foundation

Bachelor of Arts in Sociology

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

Minor in Labor Studies · Honors · Expected 2026

Coursework: Research Methods, Public Policy Analysis, Urban Sociology, Community Development, Social Services Administration

2026

Associate of Arts in Sociology and Communications

Los Angeles Harbor College

Honors · Graduated Spring 2024 · Member, Honors Transfer Club

2024

Get in Touch

Let's connect

Open to conversations about public administration, research collaborations, and community initiatives.