Samantha Alvis

Dr. Samantha Alvis is an international education leader with over 20 years of experience advancing access and workforce alignment through higher education. Before joining the Thunderbird School as the Executive Director of the Najafi 100 Million Learners Global Initiative, she supported education and youth programming across Asia as a Senior Education and Regional Youth Advisor with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), where she also previously led the agency’s global higher education strategy. She co-authored USAID’s education and youth policies, developed global research and performance frameworks, and launched the first-ever USAID Higher Education Evidence Summit.

Samantha’s expertise spans policy advising, strategic planning, partnership development, and human-centered facilitation. She has led co-creation workshops across multiple continents, developed online learning tools, and mentored emerging professionals in development and research.

Previously, she served as Director for International Programs and Development at the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU), where she built cross-border university partnerships and supported internationalization strategies. She’s also served in senior roles with the National Association of Agricultural Educators (NAAE) and the Professional Beauty Association.

A first-generation college graduate, she holds a Ph.D. in international agricultural development and communications from Texas A&M University, as well as undergraduate and master's degrees in agricultural education from the University of Arizona.