Samantha Nissen (she/her/hers) is Senior Director for Global Programs and Strategic Initiatives at the Roberta Buffett Institute for Global Affairs at Northwestern University. In this role, she leads the strategy, coordination, and growth of the Roberta Buffett Institute’s global programs in partnership with the faculty director, advancing interdisciplinary research and expanding undergraduate initiatives at the intersection of academic inquiry and practice within global and comparative frameworks. 

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. She is a 2025–2026 Mellon/Scholars at Risk Academic Freedom Fellow, conducting research on the intersections of student journalism, academic freedom, and global inequities.  

Samantha joined Northwestern University in 2018, working in career development at the Medill School of Journalism before transitioning to the Roberta Buffett Institute in 2022. Her prior experience also includes special projects at the University of Iowa’s International Writing Program, where she earned  BA in Journalism and International Studies. In addition, she holds an MEd in Cultural and Educational Policy Studies from Loyola University Chicago.