Sandija Bayot

Vice President of Local/National Relations

Sandija Bayot is the Chief Development Officer at the World Affairs Council of Greater Houston, the leading non-profit global education forum.  Before joining, she served as Director of Communications for Houston’s Consular Corps – 3rd largest Consular Corps in the United States, with over 90 nations present.  Before moving to Texas, Sandija worked at the Embassy of Latvia Washington, DC as the Assistant to the Trade Counselor.  Sandija maintains an ongoing relationship with the Embassy and the Honorary Consuls of Latvia throughout the United States by supporting Latvian culture, economic and diplomatic initiatives.  She is one of the leading voices of the Latvian diaspora.  One of many of Sandija’s events – Illumination of the Niagara Falls In The Colors of the Latvian Flag, was the largest social media event in Latvia’s history.  For her active work with the Latvian diaspora, she has been recognized by the Ministry of the Foreign Affairs of Latvia, the Prime Minister’s office, Embassy of Latvia and others.  She has also completed both the FBI and DEA Citizens Academy programs.  Sandija was recently recognized as the Honoree of the Women Who Mean Business Award by Houston Business Journal.  University of Houston Law Center honored Sandija as the 2019 Beacon of Light – Standing for Unity, Peace, Respect, Justice and Hope.

Sandija is an Executive Committee Member of the FBI Houston Citizens Academy Alumni Association Board. 

She is fluent in Latvian, English and Russian.  Sandija is married, has two sons, and lives in the Woodlands, Texas.