About

Professional Summary

Sam began her career in Community Technology in 2020 after completing her Masters in Rhetoric from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA. She followed this path because she had the opportunity to be a writing tutor in undergraduate school at DePaul University--a transformative role that still shapes her practice to this day. It was through CMU's rigorous graduate program that she honed her writing skills, learned successful community engagement methodologies, and developed expertise in qualitative analysis.

Graduating in the heat of the COVID-19 Pandemic, Sam landed a Development Manager role at a local Pittsburgh nonprofit, then known as Meta Mesh Wireless Communities. This organization endeavored to connect all disconnected K-12 students in the Greater Pittsburgh Area to no-cost home wireless internet by raising local sponsorships. This was pre-Emergency Broadband Benefit and Affordable Connectivity Program, so we were really ahead of our time! Within six months, Sam was promoted to Executive Director, a role which she held for nearly two years.

During her tenure, Sam convened a group of powerful stakeholders, wrote several organization-saving grants and raised local sponsorships that propelled the project from a dream to actuality, against many odds. The organization continues its successful mission, enhancing their technical designs to provide the best customer experience possible and keeping costs low or free as an ACP participating provider. Sam gets to stay involved with now named Community Internet Solutions as a member of their Board of Directors.

Recently, Sam was a Senior Broadband Strategist with Michael Baker International where she helped form the new practice, managed the "Grants Team," and served as lead author on a number of multi-million dollar deliverables for state government clients.

SLG Consulting is Sam's latest endeavor!

Sam seeks to leverage her expertise to help her clients deliver impactful programming and policy to ensure all people have access to technology. Her service leadership mentality allows her to slot into any team with any organizational type or structure. Her core directive is always to make sure that your team meets its goals! She's never missed a deadline, and is available to support new and existing clients in any US time zone. Whether it means filling in gaps in team expertise, adding capacity, or leading projects from design to execution, Sam is committed to producing a successful outcome.

Thank you for coming along on this journey with me! - Sam

Work History

Senior Broadband Strategist
2022- 2023

Michael Baker International is a full service civil engineering firm that is a leader in the Broadband Consulting Services industry. I was hired as a foundational member of the Consulting Technologies Solutions vertical to design and implement Grant Support Services.
- Expert in US broadband policy, legislation, and public/private fundraising for broadband. Specialized expertise in all InternetForAll programming (BEAD/DEA), USDA broadband programming, and American Rescue Plan Act programming.
- Architected, developed and led successfully funded Broadband Funding Strategies for States and Local Governments. Versed in all current applicable national and local funding opportunities for broadband expansion.
- Managed a full time staff "Grants Team" as the Lead Funding Expert. Supports staff professional development and empowerment through empathetic leadership techniques.
- Lead Planner driving the development and completion of State BEAD and DEA activities, including the establishment of new state grant programs.
- Product Owner for novel SaaS solution for a Broadband Project Management System and Grant Portal.
Executive Director
2020-2022

Meta Mesh Wireless Communities (now named Community Internet Solutions) is one of the first 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Wireless Internet Service Providers in the United States, focused on bridging the digital divide through the intervention of no-cost high speed internet in unserved and underserved communities.
- Co-Designed and implemented a novel sponsored internet business model that leveraged existing community resources in combination with philanthropic contributions and private sponsorship to cover internet bill costs for residents living in un/underserved communities throughout Southwest PA.
- Directed full time staff and volunteers, managed the Board of Directors, and convened a weekly meeting of program stakeholders, outside experts, and community champions.
- Deployed community Wi-Fi projects involving high-profile strategic partnerships with national advocacy groups, universities, foundations, local governments and community partners.
- Spoke in many public forums, including community meetings, conferences, and hearings including provided testimony for the PA House Consumer Affairs Committee in Harrisburg, PA
- Led all fundraising and development activities and increased budget from $25k to $1.7M in 18 months, reduced organizational debt, and stabilized financial runway for the next 3 years.
Development Manager
2020

Meta Mesh Wireless Communities
- Wrote six large grants (all fully funded) to support programmatic and operations.
- Brokered agreements between high-profile strategic partners to increase organizational status and capacity.
- Analyzed and adjusted organizational activities according to changing federal and state policies on broadband provision.
- Crafted marketing and community outreach materials, including a full website redesign.
- Co-Founder and Steering Committee member of the Greater Pittsburgh Digital Inclusion Alliance, an advocacy group of 20+ member organizations focused on increasing digital equity in Southwestern PA.
Graduate Research Assistant
2020

Linda Flower, PhD, English Department, Carnegie Mellon University
- Edited chapter drafts of Dr. Flower's book and completed citation work.
- As Mentorship Coordinator, matched CMU students with local high school students for semester-long mentorship program and prepared mentors to work with mentees.
- Led class discussions on community literacy and engagement.
Grants Administrator / Editorial Assistant
2018-2019

University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute

Supported five Principal Investigators specialized in Cancer Virology performing research at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center.
- Drafted, edited, formatted, and submitted federal and private grants amounting to over $2.6 million funds received.
- Coordinated capital laboratory purchases and reconciled grant accounts.
- Managed administrative duties, including scheduling, correspondence, staffing, arranging travel, and record-keeping of sensitive documents.