About

Hi, I’m Sam!

I'm a strategist, service designer, project manager, and self-described local government nerd who loves solving complex problems, bringing people together, and designing experiences that make a difference.

I design experiences for a living. Sometimes that means facilitating a strategic planning workshop with community leaders, mapping a customer's journey through a government program, or developing a communications campaign that inspires behavior change. Other times, it means planning a two-week adventure through a country I've never visited before.

The common thread? I'm endlessly curious about people, places, and systems, and how thoughtful design can make our experiences with them better.

Making Government Work Better for People

For the past decade, I've worked at the intersection of public service, human-centered design, and strategic communications, helping government agencies, nonprofits, and mission-driven organizations tackle complex challenges and turn ideas into meaningful action.

My career has taken me from local government innovation teams to federal consulting, independent consulting, and social impact communications. Along the way, I've worn a lot of hats: project manager, service designer, strategic planner, facilitator, change manager, and communicator. I've come to see that versatility as one of my greatest strengths.

At the City of Syracuse's Office of Innovation, I worked alongside residents and city employees to rethink how government services are delivered. At Grant Thornton, I helped federal teams apply human-centered design to organizational challenges and employee experiences. Through independent consulting, I led collaborative strategic planning efforts that brought community voices into decisions about public spaces and services. And at PRR, I've managed projects and developed engagement and communications strategies for public-sector clients across the country.

Across these experiences, my approach has remained consistent: listen first, bring the right people together, facilitate consensus, and build solutions that work in the real world.

I'm particularly passionate about making government programs and services more accessible, effective, and responsive to the people who rely on them. I believe the people most impacted by a challenge should have a meaningful voice in shaping its solution, and that good strategy requires both creativity and a practical path to implementation.

I'm a Prosci-certified change management practitioner, trained in multiple facilitation methodologies, and hold a Master’s in Public Administration from Syracuse University's Maxwell School and a bachelor's degree in Public Relations from the Newhouse School.

Beyond the Work

If you haven't guessed already, I'm a bit of a multipotentialite. I love learning new things, exploring different interests, and finding unexpected connections between them.

I'm an avid traveler, nature lover, creative hobbyist, and lifelong learner. Through my travel brand, Discover with Sam, I share stories about the people, places, and cultures I encounter, with a focus on meaningful experiences, local communities, and responsible travel.

Travel is another expression of the curiosity that drives my professional work. Whether I'm wandering through a new city, learning about a community's history, or connecting with people whose experiences are different from my own, I'm constantly reminded of the value of listening, learning, and approaching the world with an open mind.

When I'm not working or traveling, you'll probably find me reading a fantasy novel, painting, experimenting with a new recipe, taking photographs, hiking, or exploring my home city.

I’m based in Washington, DC, soaking up some sunshine after spending eight years falling in love with a very snowy Syracuse. I live with my husband and three rambunctious cats. We love exploring the city and neighborhood we call home (and yes, by “we” I do also mean the cats, who go out for walks).

I'm always excited to meet people who are curious about the world and passionate about making it better.