I’m proud to be a professional who wears many hats — writer, educator, naturalist, and certified arborist. I’m passionate about helping children pay attention to the wonders of the natural world around them through creative science education, literature, humor, and stewardship. As many Indigenous writers like Robin Wall Kimmerer (Potawatomi nation) continue to emphasize, this type of attention is critical to building healthier, mature relationships with Earth. For the last three years I led the planting of 1,000+ trees with 3,000+ students in the D.C. region with the non-profit Casey Trees. I like to think that every tree we planted was a story we were writing together. But this fall (2026) I’m starting to write a new story in this field. Updates coming soon!

In writing, I’m now focused on children’s literature after years of writing for adults. I am working on several picture books that weave fictional narratives with science elements. These picture books are meant to educate, entertain, and inspire children to engage their environments but are also written with teacher use in mind to compliment NGSS and common core standards. I’ve taught creative writing to children, college students, and adults, and offer creative plant writing at botanical gardens and other sites. I proudly earned a master’s degree focusing on creative science education and literature from the University of Utah. To inquire about manuscripts or creative plant writing, please reach out.

Learn more about Sam’s work in children’s literature and view select published works.