Samantha is an epidemiologist and international health researcher with 25 years’ experience in operational and clinical health research in low and middle income countries. Her work has primarily focused the delivery of maternal and child health services to vulnerable populations, the epidemiology and management of rheumatic heart disease in the Pacific, drug-resistant tuberculosis, vaccine clinical trials, Maternal and Child Health and health system strengthening.

Prior to joining NCEPH  Sam held roles in programme management and research in the Pacific and Papua New Guinea. Sam has worked extensively in Africa, Asia and the Pacific. 

Since joining NCEPH, she has worked on a variety of Infectious Disease Surveillance and Response projects. She was a Senior Fellow on the ASEAN Scholars program for the Masters of Epidemiology, supervising students from Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Myanmar from 2020-24. 

Her research program focuses on food safety and infant and child malnutrition and infection in Timor-Leste and on field epidemiology workforce strengthening in the Pacific and South East Asia.