Samantha Nissen (she/her/hers) is Director for Strategic Initiatives and Undergraduate Programs at the Buffett Institute. In this role, she develops institutional strategy and advances new and ongoing initiatives that support research and education, including oversight of the Institute’s curricular and co-curricular programs for undergraduate students.

Samantha holds a PhD in Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development, with a focus in Comparative and International Development Education from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. Her dissertation, a narrative inquiry into the experiences of international journalism students from restricted media contexts, explores issues of press freedom, belonging, and global power dynamics in U.S. journalism education. In her research and practice, she aims to empower student agency, belonging, and success amid geopolitical and educational inequalities.

Previously, she worked in career development at Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism and in special projects at the University of Iowa’s International Writing Program. She holds a BA in Journalism and International Studies and an MEd in Cultural and Educational Policy Studies.