Sam’s formative years were rooted in the vibrant, environmentally sensitive and multi-culturally rich setting of New York City in the 1970’s and 80’s. Training in art, ecology, botany, education and design further developed her talent for unearthing authentic stories of diverse places and people.

Sam combined her interests to earn a BA in Studio Art / Minor in Botany from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and after working in fine art and design, she was introduced to landscape architecture at the Central Park Conservancy. She began working in the field (literally!) prior to returning for her Master of Landscape Architecture at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design.

Sam led the landscape studio as a Principal at Rios Clementi Hale Studios (n/k/a RIOS), an internationally renowned multi-disciplinary design studio, while remaining influential in the studio’s other work, including involvement in the global product line, notNeutral. She has taught at Cal Poly Pomona and been a visiting critic at Harvard, USC, UCLA, ArtCenter College of Design and Kent State.

In practice, she’s spent over 30 years exploring culture through art and written works while successfully traversing all scales of design from directing development of city master plans to parks, gardens, products and graphics and fine art. Her ability to devise artful, environmentally sustainable solutions has allowed her to helm projects from planning and design through construction, gaining international awards and publications along the way.