Certified Mindset Coach | Keynote Speaker | Miss Hawaii USA 2020
Samantha has been a member of a military family from the beginning and believes experiencing different cultures while growing up is what founded her appreciation for people of all backgrounds. Using her respect of new cultures and advanced adaptability, Samantha captured the Miss Hawaii Teen USA crown in 2013, the first African American woman to do so. She used her title to begin a modeling career at seventeen and went on to place in the Top 15 at Miss Teen USA.
After working as a successful print and runway model in Hawaii, Samantha moved to Los Angeles and transitioned into acting, appearing in feature films by Lionsgate, Sony and Lifetime in addition to her guest appearances on hit shows for CBS, ABC, and HBO. Commercially, she has appeared in over 20 national campaigns and has worked as a cover model for major brands like Skechers, MindBody, Maui Jim and many more. Samantha also found time to take on a producer role, producing a Short Film Festival and multiple short films of her own.
In 2019, Samantha returned home to Hawaii and founded Time to Talk Hawaii, a program dedicated to helping teens learn to communicate more effectively in both personal and professional environments. Later that year, Samantha competed at Miss Hawaii USA 2020. She won awards for Best Interview, Best Swimsuit & Best Evening Gown and became the first African American woman to win the Miss Hawaii USA title.
During her reign as Miss Hawaii USA, Samantha advocated for effective communication by amplifying youth voices and starting a conversation around racial disparity in Hawaii. She worked with local elected officials to establish the first ever Honolulu City Youth Commission and launched Hawaii for Juneteenth - a coalition dedicated to urging the State Legislature to pass legislation recognizing June 19th as a Day of Remembrance in Hawaii.
While in the midst of lobbying the State Legislature and preparing for Miss USA, Samantha was also training to become a certified life coach. In November 2020 she placed in the Top 10 at Miss USA 2020. Just two months later, in January 2021 she earned her Life Coach Certification and now enjoys guiding other young women through their journeys to self-empowerment.
After working as a successful print and runway model in Hawaii, Samantha moved to Los Angeles and transitioned into acting, appearing in feature films by Lionsgate, Sony and Lifetime in addition to her guest appearances on hit shows for CBS, ABC, and HBO. Commercially, she has appeared in over 20 national campaigns and has worked as a cover model for major brands like Skechers, MindBody, Maui Jim and many more. Samantha also found time to take on a producer role, producing a Short Film Festival and multiple short films of her own.
In 2019, Samantha returned home to Hawaii and founded Time to Talk Hawaii, a program dedicated to helping teens learn to communicate more effectively in both personal and professional environments. Later that year, Samantha competed at Miss Hawaii USA 2020. She won awards for Best Interview, Best Swimsuit & Best Evening Gown and became the first African American woman to win the Miss Hawaii USA title.
During her reign as Miss Hawaii USA, Samantha advocated for effective communication by amplifying youth voices and starting a conversation around racial disparity in Hawaii. She worked with local elected officials to establish the first ever Honolulu City Youth Commission and launched Hawaii for Juneteenth - a coalition dedicated to urging the State Legislature to pass legislation recognizing June 19th as a Day of Remembrance in Hawaii.
While in the midst of lobbying the State Legislature and preparing for Miss USA, Samantha was also training to become a certified life coach. In November 2020 she placed in the Top 10 at Miss USA 2020. Just two months later, in January 2021 she earned her Life Coach Certification and now enjoys guiding other young women through their journeys to self-empowerment.
