East Region

Sam joined the Surfrider team in 2026 as the Southeast Regional Manager. She grew up in Laguna Beach, California, where she developed an early passion for protecting the ocean.

Most recently, Sam was an Environmental Policy Fellow at the North Carolina Sierra Club, where she worked to advance clean energy policy by conducting research and leading advocacy efforts at the North Carolina State Legislature. Prior to that, she worked as a Regional Manager for One Cool Earth, implementing garden-based environmental education programming in San Luis Obispo, California.

Sam holds a Master of Public Policy degree from Duke University, with a concentration in Environment and Energy Policy. Sam now resides in Durham, North Carolina, where she enjoys running through pine forests, spending time with friends and family, watching basketball, and journeying to the coast as much as possible!