Dr. Samantha Powers

Sam Powers is the Director of Student Veteran Life at the University of Washington. She provides oversight and management of hiring, development of new programs, and centralization of existing services and resources available to UW student veterans. She provides outreach and collaborates with internal and external constituents.

Sam is a combat veteran of the US Air Force Special Operations, where she served as an Aircraft Maintenance officer on the C-130 Gunship Spectres. Sam served in Kuwait, Afghanistan, and Iraq during Operation Enduring Freedom. 

She began her post-military career in the field of higher education, working in Facilities/Physical Plant Operations as an administrative manager. She has additional experience in Continuing Education and Customized Training. She went back to school while working full time at UW and earned her Masters in Social Work in June of 2020 at the University of Washington. She is now a fully licensed therapist (LICSW) and owns a private practice in which she sees patients (mostly veterans/active duty) weekly. She volunteers for several veterans organizations in Washington State as a member and officer and is an adjunct professor at various higher education institutions across the state and nation.

Sam holds a BA in Military History from Virginia Tech, an MA in International Relations from the University of Oklahoma, a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Old Dominion University, and an MSW from the University of Washington.