Rachel Desch

Rachel Desch is pursuing a dual master of arts in international policy and master of science in Environment and Resources as a Knight-Hennessy Scholar. Rachel graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) with majors in peace, war, and defense, and economics. While pursuing her undergraduate degree, she interned with the U.S. State Department in Riga, Latvia, and the Institute for Defense and Business. Since graduating from UNC in 2016, Rachel has worked on a variety of national security issues within the U.S. government, including deploying to the Middle East. Most recently, she served as a policy advisor at the National Security Council, focusing on legislative affairs.

At Stanford, she sought to study international development in post conflict societies and, while here, discovered a love of energy and infrastructure. Rachel has conducted international research trips, studied abroad as a McCaw Fellow in Vienna, Austria, served as a research assistant to Karen Skelton and teaching assistant to Dr. Amy Zegart, and held a leadership role in the International Policy Student Association. Following her studies at Stanford, Rachel hopes to continue a career in public service. Rachel is a black belt in taekwondo, an amateur soccer player, and an avid reader.