Samantha Kunz

Samantha (Sam) Kunz is a Senior Research Associate on the Geopolitical Analysis team at the Pardee Institute. She focuses on data building and analytical modeling aimed at generating actionable insights for diplomacy. Owing to her background in government advisory, she is a strong proponent of using quantitative insights to bridge the gap between research and policy.

Before joining Pardee, Sam worked with several ministries of health in the francophone West Africa region on health systems strengthening. She leveraged epidemiological modelling, geospatial mapping, and cost-effectiveness analysis to inform national strategies and localized interventions for improved public health. Her advisory work included training government officials in statistical methodology and data visualization to institutionalize data use in the public sector. As a nonprofit leader, she also managed design, monitoring, and evaluation for randomized control trials to measure the effectiveness of disease prevention campaigns.

Sam holds a Master’s in Public Administration from Harvard University and a Bachelor’s in Economics from Claremont McKenna College. She is a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, having served as a secondary mathematics and science educator in Guinea.