Born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa, Sam studied Public Relations and Communication Science, and went on to a 10 year career in Risk Management and Catastrophic Insurance. After daily visits to the gym, and enthusiastic participation in fitness classes, she decided to become a fitness instructor, and then a certified personal trainer in 1998, studying through the South African Institute of Fitness Professionals.

Fifteen years of classical ballet training and elite gymnastics have provided her with an intimate understanding of the importance of core strength and the performance and postural benefits it provides. A lifelong athlete, she ran track in high school, swam on the high school swim team and transitioned from a bike commuter to a mountainbike racer. Her love of competitive cycling has spanned 18 years, and continues to be a core part of her life.

She graduated from the Greenville Tech Massage Therapy program early in 2011, and completed an additional course in Sports Massage.  All her subsequent continuing education has been centered around sports and orthopedic modalities. In February 2014, Sam received a certificate after completing a course in Oncology Massage, and in 2018 went on to train in Manual Lymphatic Drainage.

As a competitive cyclist with 20 years of fitness training experience, Sam understands the needs of the athletes that seek sports massage as part of their complete training package.

In 2015 she began working with the US Paralympic Cycling team, and in 2016 accompanied the team to the Rio Paralympic Games as one of the team’s massage therapists.

Sam served on the advisory board of the Greenville Tech Massage Therapy program, and was an instructor in the massage program, teaching modules in sports massage and kinesiology.

She is an avid reader, and when she’s not riding her bicycles or ballroom dancing she can be found coaching or painting.