Sam Rafizad graduated in June 2024 from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a B.A. in Political Science (international relations specialization) with a minor in History. After graduating, Sam was a Spring 2025 Scoville Fellow at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies office in Washington, DC, where he worked with the Middle East Nonproliferation Program on federally-funded projects on Middle Eastern security issues. Sam then served as a legislative intern for Representative Mike Levin (CA-49), where he was able to further his policy interests while on Capitol Hill. During his internship term, he was selected by PAAIA to be one of the Spring 2026 CHIP Fellows.
Sam is interested in the potential for politics to fundamentally improve people’s lives and, thus, has enjoyed getting involved at the grassroots level with IADC. As a result of his affiliation with IADC, Sam has developed a deep appreciation for how nonprofit organizations can effectively educate and mobilize voters to influence local, state, and national politics.