Seattle, WA
Sam Ostroff
Communications · Mixed Methods Research · Program Management
Complex data. Human insight. Stories that move the needle.
Seattle, WA
Communications · Mixed Methods Research · Program Management
Complex data. Human insight. Stories that move the needle.
I'm a communications specialist with a decade of experience at the intersection of science, policy, and narrative — turning complex, high-stakes findings into clear messaging that moves decision-makers to act. My work connects evidence to action, translating what the data says into what leaders need to hear.
As a Scientific Writer at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington, I lead scientific communications projects for one of the world's most cited global health research programs — partnering with data scientists, engineers, policymakers, and executive leadership to shape how findings reach the audiences who matter most. That means operating in fast-moving, high-visibility environments where accuracy, clarity, and strategic framing are imperative.
I have direct experience navigating crisis and rapid-response communications in public health contexts — developing messaging under deadline pressure, managing reputational considerations, and maintaining consistency across audiences with competing priorities. I bring the same discipline to every engagement: understand the stakes, know your audience, and communicate with precision.
A trained interdisciplinary social scientist, I bring rigorous mixed methods research skills and deep cross-cultural fluency to every project. I have also designed and delivered technical training workshops on scientific communications for researchers, scientists, and professionals in India, Indonesia, Pakistan, and across the globe — helping teams translate their findings into clear, compelling narratives that reach the target audiences. With regional expertise spanning the Indian Ocean rim — from the Middle East and Gulf States to South Asia and Southeast Asia — I bring a grounded, practical understanding of how to craft messaging that resonates across cultural and regional contexts. Multilingual facility and lived regional experience round out what I offer to globally operating teams.
Business studies at UW's Foster School of Business add a strong foundation in program management, strategic thinking, and organizational leadership — skills that translate directly to the pace and complexity of diverse communications and research environments.
Outside of work, I live in Seattle with my wife, two kids, and River — our French Pyrenean Pointer. I'm an avid sports fan and reader, and try to spend as much time outdoors as possible — trail running, skiing, and tennis are staples of my Pacific Northwest life. I also care deeply about my community and take on local leadership roles whenever I can.
Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) · University of Washington · Seattle, WA
Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies · University of Washington · Seattle, WA
Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies · University of Washington · Seattle, WA
University of Pennsylvania · Philadelphia, PA
Archival history of British colonial power at the Gulf of Mannar pearl fisheries — labor, markets, and governance at the edge of empire.
Read →Environmental and imperial history asking what the oyster's depletion reveals about the limits of colonial extraction.
Read →Epidemiological data made accessible — examining Indonesia's decision to prioritize working-age adults in its COVID-19 vaccine rollout.
Read →Co-authored with former CDC Director Jeffrey Koplan — three enduring principles for effective pandemic response.
Read →Subnational disease burden across Indonesia's 34 provinces over three decades — quantifying health inequalities to inform national policy. Co-authored with former Indonesian Minister of Health Nafsiah Mboi.
Read →The most comprehensive global health audit to date — 375 diseases, 88 risk factors, 204 countries, 1990–2023.
Read →Subnational disease burden across Pakistan's provinces and territories over three decades — mapping health inequalities to guide national and regional policy.
Read →Cross-sectional analysis of 3,110 US counties identifying the key drivers of health care spending variation — with service utilization accounting for nearly two-thirds of the gap.
Read →Guest discussion of Jesse Eisenberg's A Real Pain — inherited trauma, Jewish identity on screen, and what Martin Buber's I & Thou has to do with family dysfunction.
Listen →A selection of publications. Full list available upon request.
Open to opportunities in communications, research, and program management. I'd love to hear from you.