Sam is the Director of Innovation at NobleReach Foundation, where she has led the program execution of multi-million dollar R&D commercialization programs for DARPA and NSF. Managing multidisciplinary teams of analysts and senior advisors, she specializes in translating scientific research into viable market solutions through strategic program management and stakeholder engagement across academic, financial, and government sectors. Currently, Sam serves as the engagement director for NSF’s Science to Venture (S2V) pilot program, working with I-Corps Hubs to drive technology commercialization and regional innovation ecosystem development.

As a Lieutenant in the U.S. Army National Guard, Sam brings unique operational insight to her innovation work. In her previous role serving on the National Guard Bureau’s joint staff, she shaped resilience policies and advised senior DoD leadership on strategic workforce initiatives, experience that now informs her approach to bridging defense requirements with commercial technologies. She holds an MA in International Relations from American University and graduated summa cum laude from the University of Oregon. With fluency in multiple languages and active military service, Sam brings both operational expertise and global perspective to advancing national competitiveness through innovation.