Generate a tailored SOP for Dr. Laurel Rapp. Improve your application with a focused, well-structured draft.
Laurel Rapp is a Senior Fellow at the Watson School of International and Public Affairs, with decades of experience in U.S. foreign policy. Before joining the Watson Institute in August 2025, she was involved in various capacities at the State Department and the National Security Council. Rapp served as the Deputy Director of Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s Policy Planning Staff, where she managed the Dissent Channel and the Secretary’s Foreign Affairs Policy Board. She focused on strategic initiatives, particularly issues related to the United Nations and the Middle East. Over the years, she held positions that involved significant work on multilateral issues at the U.S. Mission to the UN and contributed to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's efforts targeting Europe and Central Asia. Rapp's extensive background also includes her role in the non-profit sector, where she worked with OneVoice Movement, which promotes youth political participation in the Middle East. She graduated from Brown University and holds a master's degree from Harvard Kennedy School of Government. Rapp is multilingual, fluent in Arabic, French, and Italian.
Watson School of International and Public Affairs • Providence, RI
Laurel Rapp serves as a Senior Fellow focusing on various aspects of U.S. foreign policy and international relations.
Chatham House • London, UK
Following her government career, Rapp joined Chatham House as the U.S. North America Program Director.
Policy Planning Staff, U.S. Department of State •
Responsible for managing strategic initiatives and overseeing various policy channels related to U.S. foreign policy.
Department: Department of Economics