Samantha is the Director of Impact at Optimist, where she designs campaigns that transform award-winning documentaries into tools for education, empathy, and change. She is the founder of the World Lens Foundation, connecting students globally through visual storytelling, and has had leadership positions with festivals and organizations including Sundance, Tribeca, Washington West, and the Open Society Foundations. While earning her doctorate at American University, she taught undergraduates and published research on impact media, imagination, and participatory storytelling. She is passionate about creativity, social change, and adventuring.