Satin Tashnizi graduated from the University of Utah in December 2020 with an Honors Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, along with Bachelor of Arts degrees in International Studies and Middle Eastern Studies. Tashnizi’s undergraduate experience was deeply shaped by her extensive involvement with the Hinckley Institute of Politics.

Through Hinckley coursework, Tashnizi was able to bridge theory and practice in meaningful ways. Two classes in particular left a lasting impression: Foundations of International Security with Professor Lobell, whose core principles continue to inform Tashnizi’s thinking today, and Senator Bob Bennett’s policy class. In the latter, Tashnizi and classmates collaborated as a bipartisan team to design a comprehensive policy package on U.S. election reform. 

Beyond the classroom, Tashnizi participated in the Ambassador John Price Symposium and the Washington, D.C. one-week seminar, Capitol Encounter with Professor Tim Chambless, further expanding her exposure to national political institutions. Tashnizi also completed four internships through the Hinckley Institute: a congressional internship with Representative Joseph Crowley (NY-14), one with the Utah League of Cities and Towns (which led to a job offer), Utah Votes, and a statewide campaign. Together, these experiences offered firsthand insight into governance at the federal, state, and grassroots levels.

Reflecting on these opportunities, Tashnizi emphasizes the transformative power of “being in the room.” 

The Hinckley Institute afforded me access to spaces where policy was shaped, decisions were made, and major questions about how we conduct local and national business were debated and resolved. Through the Hinckley Institute, I was able to be in the rooms I had previously only learned about in my studies or watched on television…The felt sense of un-belonging and impossibility often associated with these prestigious spaces begins to fade and you begin to imagine yourself in positions you once looked up to.There is no substitute for being in the room and there is no substitute for doing the work.

After graduation, Tashnizi’s Hinckley experiences continued to shape both professional direction and purpose. She co-founded the Emerald Project, a Salt Lake City–based organization dedicated to empowering young Muslims through civic engagement and service. Over the past nine years, the organization has built bridges across communities while supporting young people in developing confidence, agency, and belonging. Tashnizi credits the Hinckley Institute with providing both the skills and the internal confidence needed to build something new, and lasting, for the community.

Today she serves as the Vice President Chief of Staff Apple Card Operations for Goldman Sachs as well as the Executive Director of the Emerald Project, which she cofounded.