Who we are
We believe that interdependence is foundational to the human experience. To ensure that all people can thrive regardless of their capacity to be self-sufficient, our fundamental interdependence must shape the design, implementation, and evaluation of social systems.
The Interdependent Futures Lab (IFL) leverages applied research and participatory advocacy approaches to promote interdependence through narrative and systems change initiatives. We work with researchers, advocates, and public officials across all our program areas to meaningfully center the needs, priorities, perspectives, and preferences of disabled people and their care communities in research and policymaking.
Our Mission
We work with community members, organizations, researchers, and advocates to conduct community-based and participatory action research, administer public education programs, and catalyze people-first advocacy initiatives.
We work to ensure that the experience and collective wisdom of disabled individuals and their communities drive initiatives that promote interdependence and ensure flourishing for all, regardless of need.
Our Vision
The more dependable and widely shared our systems of support, the more fully every person can flourish.
Our Team
Sam Streuli, PhD
Co-Founder
Sam Streuli (they/she) is a disabled writer, researcher, and evaluator who is dedicated to community accountable research and evaluation, disability justice, and equitable access to information and tools for critical inquiry. They bring over a decade of experience in research, evaluation, program design, marketing and communication, and strategic organizational support in academia and non-profits.
Sam earned a PhD in Medical Anthropology from UC San Diego and completed postdoctoral training in Public Health at the UC San Diego Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health. Their research focused on community-based approaches to co-designing vaccine education tools with racialized migrants who had neurodivergent family members and critically addressing how funding practices impact the potential of community-driven interventions to advance equity. As a postdoctoral researcher, they focused on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on marginalized communities from an intersectional perspective.
Sam has worked as a consultant, researcher, and director for community-based organizations. They have demonstrated their passion for storytelling, evidence generation, and accessible communication by publishing in scientific journals and writing op-eds on disability justice issues as a Public Voices Fellow of the OpEd Project and AcademyHealth.
Sam has also served as an Advocacy & Cultural Change fellow with Disability Belongs and a Policy Volunteer with the Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network. In both roles, they have shown thought leadership in disability issues and advocated for meaningful policy change to advance disability rights.
Adam Beddawi, MS
Co-Founder
Adam Beddawi (he/him), MS is a policy professional with experience in quantitative and qualitative research, strategic advocacy, and government relations. Since graduating from the University of Virginia with degrees in Philosophy and Cognitive Science, Adam has worked in Washington, D.C. to ensure that federal policy and programs meet the diverse needs of underserved and underrepresented populations.
His most notable career accomplishments include the successful implementation of an advocacy campaign to revise the federal standards for data on race and ethnicity to include a “Middle Eastern or North African”, or MENA, response option on all federal information collection forms. Adam has also worked to introduce federal legislation to improve the quality and effectiveness of federal health programs, direct federal appropriations to support community initiatives, and manage government relationships with professional staff in Congress and the administration. While working, Adam also attained an MS in Data Analytics and Policy from Johns Hopkins University in 2024.
Adam’s work is significantly shaped by his experience as the sibling of an individual with significant intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and the son of their primary caregiver. He endeavors to reform disability support systems to better meet the needs of individuals who rely on the care of others to have their basic needs met.
CJ Valasek, PhD
Co-Founder
Chad “CJ” Valasek (he/they) is a sociologist, writer, and policy researcher committed to building just futures through participatory research, critical evaluation, and community-driven consulting. He brings over a decade of experience working across academic, nonprofit, and public sectors at the intersections of mental health, housing justice, labor rights, and technology.
CJ earned his Ph.D. in Sociology and Science Studies from UC San Diego, where his research explored digital well-being, harm reduction, and structural inequities in behavioral health systems. As a Senior Research & Evaluation Associate in the UC San Diego School of Medicine and Homelessness Hub, he has led mixed-methods studies and policy evaluations focused on the CARE Court Act, overdose prevention programs, and racial disparities in homelessness services.
Grounded in lived experience and committed to research justice, CJ specializes in collaborative projects with people most impacted by systems of care, control, and criminalization. His work supports public agencies, grassroots coalitions, and health and housing providers in designing more equitable, responsive, and liberatory programs and policies.
Our Services
Research & Evaluation
Research Ethics
Research Planning & Timelines
Mixed-Methods Research Design and Administration
Quantitative Analysis & Statistical Services
Data Visualization & Mapping
Program Evaluation
Policy & Advocacy
Policy Analysis and Research
Coalition Building and Stakeholder Engagement
Advocacy Campaign Development & Management
Communications & Training
Communication & Content Development
Graphic & Web Design
Writing Services
Social Media Support
Education & Training
Capacity Strengthening
Grant Writing & Research
Project & Grant Management
Organizational & Strategic Consulting