Sam Baron is an analyst of Asia-Pacific international affairs with particular expertise at the intersection of human rights and trade policy. Throughout his career, he has held roles working on international trade, investment, and sustainability matters with leading organizations including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Office of the Mayor of Los Angeles, and The Asia Group, where he advised policymakers, companies, and multilateral organizations on political, regulatory, and human rights risks in Asia.

A specialist in Southeast Asian politics and foreign policy, his research and commentary on political and economic developments in Myanmar and across the ASEAN region have been featured in or cited by global think tank and media outlets including Foreign Policy, The South China Morning Post, Nikkei Asia, the International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS), and Radio Free Asia, among others.

Beyond his role at SIPA Partners, Sam is a non-resident Research Fellow with the Yokosuka Council on Asia-Pacific Studies (YCAPS), a non-profit organization that conducts policy-oriented research on Japan’s relations with Southeast Asia. Previously, Sam also held research affiliations with The University of Tokyo’s Research Center for Sustainable Peace (RCSP), and the Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA, a think tank based in Washington, D.C.

Sam holds an M.Phil in International Relations (with distinction) from the University of Cambridge and B.A. in Political Science and Asian Studies from Loyola Marymount University. Originally from and currently based in Los Angeles, he previously lived and worked in Tokyo, Bangkok, London, and Washington, D.C.