Current Students

Born and raised in Bogart, Georgia, Ayah graduated summa cum laude with first honors from the University of Georgia, where she earned degrees in international affairs and economics, a minor in Arabic, and a global studies certificate. Following graduation, Ayah joined the Treasury Department, where she served as an economic research analyst and special advisor supporting the work of the Office of International Affairs. Ayah is passionate about economic development, governance, and human rights - at the local, state, and international level - and has previously served as legislative director for Georgia Representative Spencer Frye, a democracy program intern with the Carter Center, and a measurement program assistant with the International Rescue Committee. She has also conducted extensive academic research and policy analysis focused on macroeconomic policy and the intersection of international political economy and human rights. At Princeton, Ayah hopes to explore evidence-based policies that support economic development while maximizing respect for human rights. 

Sam is a dual U.S.-German citizen who was born in Atlanta and grew up in Seattle. After graduating college, he spent two and a half years working as a poker dealer and as the union representative for his cardroom. In 2022, he joined Open Philanthropy where he worked as a grantmaker for their Global Aid Policy Program. During his time at Open Philanthropy, he has recommended grants to think tanks, civil society groups, and government affairs firms across 12 countries to grow the scale and cost-effectiveness of global development assistance. He has also represented Open Philanthropy on lawmaker delegations to Zambia, Ethiopia, and Ghana, and in meetings with 50 members of parliament across Japan and Korea to discuss the evidence base of global health multilaterals like GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, and the Global Fund. Outside of work, he likes to play jazz and soccer.

Originally from Addis Ababa and raised in Vermont, Belan began her academic journey at Cornell University, focusing on public health policy. During her tenure with the City of Burlington, she held pivotal roles in community and economic development, COVID-19 analytics, and the formation of the City’s Office of Racial Equity. Through the Ethiopian Diaspora Fellowship, Belan was able to return to her birthplace to consult in healthcare, serving diverse clients including health-tech startups and government hospitals. Her leadership in Vermont's pandemic response propelled her to co-found the Vermont Health Equity Initiative (VHEI), where she served as Programs Director, leading collaborative efforts to tackle health disparities across the state and emphasizing equitable emergency response strategies. This past summer, Belan explored southern China before diving headfirst into her beloved co-ed adult soccer team back at home. At Princeton SPIA, she hopes to apply her policy toolkit to explore policy areas in emerging technology and transportation infrastructure. After Princeton, she is excited to build a career that helps make municipal governments more efficient and effective in serving their communities. 

Dayton previously served as an AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) Leader with the North Mississippi VISTA Project, where he supported and mentored fellow VISTA members in their efforts to combat poverty and strengthen the capacity of local nonprofits and Title I schools. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies and Political Science from the University of Mississippi. Dayton’s academic work has explored the welfare state, with a focus on housing and health policy, as well as broader issues in political economy. He is eager to apply the skills and knowledge he gains at the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs to improve quality of life in his home state of Mississippi and across the country.

Raised in Minneapolis, Noah has spent the majority of his career in public service working to end mass incarceration and reduce the harm caused by the criminal legal system. After completing his B.A. in Economics at Reed College, Noah worked in the Markets Group at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York before pivoting to criminal legal reform. He worked at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law on a multi‐year research project measuring the impact of fines and fees associated with criminal cases on local government budgets. He then spent several years at the Crime and Justice Institute working on policy implementation at the state and local level with a focus on bail reform. Last summer, Noah interned at the New York City Department of Investigation, a law enforcement body with jurisdiction over New York City agencies. His work focused on measuring bias in the NYPD’s response to public protests and on detecting campaign finance violations. In his free time, he walks around Red Hook, Brooklyn and watches professional wrestling.