Ms. Samuels earned her Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1998. In May of 2002, she received her MArch (Masters of Architecture) degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC).

Before starting her own design firm, she was an associate at OKW architects. Ms. Samuels interest in sustainable design was further implemented thru her tenure as an adjunct faculty member at Columbia College Chicago.

As a member of the Chicago Architecture Foundation Curriculum Committee, she is assisting in the development of a new concentrated architecture curriculum guide for students enrolled in the Chicago Public Schools (CPS). This information was used in the development of lesson plans that were piloted in a classroom setting to test the effectiveness of the curriculum.

Currently Ms. Samuels is actively pursuing her passion for education as a member of the faculty at ACE (Architecture, Construction and Engineering) Technical Charter High School located on Chicago’s South Side.

She also works with a variety of organizations including the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) and the Chicago Urban League.