Sarah Laga

Sarah Laga currently serves as the Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development. Since her appointment in July 2023, Sarah has supported the operations of the Office of the Assistant Secretary to ensure coordination across the agency and with other bureaus in the Department of Commerce. In her role, Sarah witnesses firsthand the importance of community engagement in order to further equitable economic development.

Prior to her appointment, Sarah completed her graduate studies at the Austin W. Marxe School of Public and International Affairs at Baruch College, City University of New York. During her graduate program, Sarah held positions in both the academic and public policy fields. As a Marxe Endowed Faculty Fellow, Sarah served as a graduate assistant to the Marxe Endowed Chair of International Affairs and assisted with research on global social movements. Additionally, as Program Manager for the Program on African Social Research, Sarah coordinated conferences for international scholars that culminated in an online publication for each conference. During graduate school, Sarah also held roles in public policy, first as an intern in the Office of the Assistant Secretary at the Economic Development Administration and next as a graduate intern in the Office of the Chief Cyber Officer in the New York State Executive Chamber. Both positions allowed Sarah the opportunity to learn and study the intersections among the economy, technology, and public policy.

Sarah is a proud alumna of the University of Scranton, PA, where she graduated with honors from the Special Jesuit Liberal Arts Honors Program and holds a Bachelor of Science in International Studies and Philosophy with concentrations in Environmental Studies and Legal Studies. She also holds a Master of International Affairs from Baruch College, City University of New York, with a Special Concentration in Climate & Security. Additionally, Sarah spent a semester abroad at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Leuven, Belgium during her undergraduate career.