Raised on Dharug Country, living in Naarm, Sam is passionate about the transformative agency of collaborative community art to foster social change, environmental justice and collective care.

I am an award-winning educator, visual artist and arts-based inquirer. I have dedicated my 20+ year career to inclusive and experiential education and trauma-informed therapeutic arts and visual storytelling initiatives that foster recovery, healing, cultural revitalisation, social transformation and environmental justice.

Qualifications
Masters in Therapeutic Arts Practice ,
MIECAT Institute
Doctor of Philosophy (Visual Studies)
Western Sydney University
Advanced Diploma in Graphic Arts
Billy Blue School of Graphic Arts
Bachelor of Arts (Honours)
University of Sydney

Awards
2018 & 2019 National Design Award for Social Impact
Melbourne Indigenous Transition School Digital Storytelling Program
2019 Victorian Premier Design Award Commendation - Marngo Designing Futures
2018 Vice Chancellor’s Award for Reconciliation
Swinburne University of Technology
2015 Vice Chancellor’s Award for Community Engagement
Swinburne University of Technology
2011 Vice Chancellor’s Award for Teaching Excellence
Western Sydney University

Work History
2024-current
Head of Discipline (Arts Therapy, Counselling and Psychotherapy)
The Ikon Institute

2023-2025
Academic and Research Fellow
School of Communication & Creative Arts, Deakin University

2014-2022
Senior Lecturer (Photomedia)
Academic Director (Community Engagement)
Practice-Based Researcher, Centre for Transformative Media Technologies
Swinburne University of Technology

2006-2013
Lecturer (Visual Communication)
Western Sydney University

Certification & Skills
WWCC, CPR & First Aid, Red Cross
Cultural Competency Training, Koorie Heritage Trust

Volunteering
Griefline Phone Counsellor (2023-2024)
Ward Volunteer, Royal Melbourne Children’s Hospital (2023-2024)