Having grown up in a rural area of Pike County, access to the arts weren’t readily available for Samantha.  She was a self-described “meek mouse,” incredibly shy and afraid to speak out.  It wasn’t until fifteen years old, as a sophomore in high school that Samantha discovered Artists Collaborative Theatre (ACT). She remembers shyly coming through the doors of her first rehearsal and falling in love with theatre. Her first play was The Greatest Christmas Pageant Ever. During her remaining years of high school, she would take part in acting, doing tech work, or co-directing fourteen shows at ACT!

It was through her new found love of theatre that she found her voice. She made friends then and she wasn’t afraid to speak up. She was such a dynamic force that she rose to co-director of the ACT After School Children’s Program during her senior year.

Then she began her college career at the University of Kentucky. She was very active in the theatre program and excelled at her studies. She graduated in December 2014 with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and English. Since that time, she has traveled, working in Texas and spending a week in Europe. In 2016, she returned to her roots in Pike County and took the position of artistic director at ACT. 

That shy girl who walked through our doors years ago held the artistic director position for two years, until last month, when she was hired as the executive director of tourism for the city of Prestonsburg. Although she has only held that position a month, she is thriving, having already created new programming and outdoor adventures.

Samantha credits the UK Extension Fine Arts Program and ACT with helping her discover her path in life, giving her the opportunity to grow and thrive. She says, “Through this program, I learned that I have a voice that is worthy of being heard and is worthy of making an impact. That first notion allowed me to use the arts to grow expeditiously in confidence, communicative skills, critical thinking, and self-awareness. By spending my high school years in a theatre - whether onstage, in a tech booth, or backstage - I learned very early that the key to success in any field is the attitude you possess and the effort you give. I came in expecting to learn how to give a monologue and, instead, walked away with all of the crucial skills that would help me to succeed in every avenue of life.”