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We are a network of leaders committed to building an equitable future.

kim sama

Senior Director, Network Impact

Kim Sama is senior director of network impact at StriveTogether. In this role, she leads and manages key strategies to accelerate progress of Cradle to Career Network members in getting better, faster and more equitable outcomes for young people.

Kim believes in the global impact made possible through local, place-based partnership and action. She is a human-centered and results-oriented leader who is passionate about supporting individuals, organizations and communities on their journey towards systems transformation. Prior to joining StriveTogether, she served as the chief finance and operations officer with Cradle to Career Network member UP Partnership, chief innovation officer with Family Service Association in San Antonio, the international managing director with Muso in Mali, and the women’s economic and social empowerment manager and technical consultant with the International Rescue Committee in Sierra Leone, Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan.

Kim is a continuous learner with a deep appreciation for collaboration and teamwork. As a strategic thinker, she enjoys recognizing and building connections between individuals, ideas and innovations. She has 20 years of experience across 10 countries, working alongside communities in program design, policy implementation, organizational systems-building and collective impact.

Kim studied social work, language and culture at the University of Texas at Austin, completed her master’s in business administration at St. Mary’s University and holds an Associate Coaching Certification from the International Coaching Federation. She lives in San Antonio, Texas and spends her time adventuring and volunteering with her son.

hear from kim

Communities in the StriveTogether Cradle to Career Network are working to improve all the systems that impact youth and families, like health care, housing, transportation, justice and more. Share why one adjacent sector is important to you.

I am deeply committed to the transformation of health systems. During my time in Mali, I was inspired by an innovative approach aimed at reducing high child and maternal mortality rates by implementing proactive rapid care systems, employing local mothers as community health workers. Closer to home, my involvement with the 22qTexas community, spurred by my nephew’s diagnosis with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome, has underscored the resilience that supportive communities can offer when navigating the complexities of biased traditional healthcare systems. In contrast, I have witnessed the transformative potential of innovative pilot models for coordinated care – integrating health services with comprehensive social, emotional, educational and community supports.