Sam Futrell

As Master Teacher for Strategic Cultural Partnerships, Sam leverages significant in-classroom experience to design and deliver innovative learning content and experiences that inspire educators to teach with confidence, creativity, and joy.

With more than a decade of classroom experience, Sam Futrell is a passionate leader in inclusive, student-centered learning and is dedicated to building community among educators and making sure every student sees themselves reflected in the stories we tell about our shared history.

Sam is the 2024 National Council for the Social Studies Secondary Teacher of the Year and recipient of the Virginia Association of Museums Anne Brownson Award for Outstanding Service to the Museum Community. Beyond her leadership with VCSS, Sam has served as a NEH Master Teacher, a Retro Report Council of Educators member, and a featured keynote panelist on the future of civic education. She and co-author, Rebekah O'Dell, recently published their first book, Mini Moves for Every Writer: 50 Transferable Techniques for Writing Across the Content Areas, with Solution Tree. She currently lives in Richmond with her husband and newborn baby girl.