About

Samala is a creative leader and creator whose mediums run the gamut from venture capital to vinyl records. She is currently Chief of Strategy & Operations at Court Accountability, a think tank and new media organization uniquely dedicated to combating judicial corruption and abuse of power. ​Previously, Samala was Head of Community & Culture at Unshackled Ventures, an early-stage venture capital fund for immigrant-founded startups. Samala has advised companies, family offices, foundations, funds, professional sports teams, governments, artists, and nonprofits to achieve their creative, impact, and asset goals. She collaborates with high-integrity powerhouses in her spare time to create and manage game-changing strategies. Past clients include the Los Angeles Sparks, Angel City FC, Mozilla, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and families of generational wealth builders.

Her personal investments reflect the breadth and depth of her curiosity, creativity and communities — a Costco model for wholesale priced cannabis delivery, the "Bloomberg" for blockchain exchanges, a medical device and therapy for ALS/PSP/Alzheimer's, the "Uber" for motorbikes slash e-wallet in South America, and an end-to-end AI platform for real estate management, and blockchain-enabled AML/KYC for financial services.

Samala embodies multitudes — a believer and weaver of strong and diverse social fabric, a Wharton business school grad, a native New Yorker, a Division 1 athlete, a daughter of immigrants, and a DJ who's played all over the world (five continents down, two to go). She’s a Founding DJ & Convener-in-Chief of the world-famous DJ collective Rebel Joy. Inexorably unique and grounded in her experiences as a serial creator/founder/entrepreneur. Samala's accomplishments transcend the confines of any one industry, medium or continent. But is always grounded in community, includes a dose of friendly competition, and teeming with rebellious joy.

She built and co-founded America’s first digital nonprofit to serve young Asian Pacific American communities online, 18MR.org. Through new media, digital campaigns, and groundbreaking online vehicles for civic engagement, her team reached and organized Asian Pacific Americans during an election cycle that saw the highest voter registration – and turnout – for the country’s fastest-growing demographic. She was on the Story of Stuff Project's founding team as Director of Strategy & Media, creating the capacity to entertain, educate, and engage over 40 million people globally for climate justice. Her work and writing in technology, culture, society, and civics have been featured at the Obama Administration’s White House LGBTQ Technology & Innovation Summit and in publications like The New York Times, The New Yorker, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, Forbes, TechCrunch, Juxtapoz Magainze, and Refinery29. Samala is an accomplished writer who’s been published in the LA Times, Al-Jazeera, and other outlets.

Prior to launching 18MR.org and seven movies with The Story of Stuff Project, Samala created START Mobile, one of the earliest digital media distribution networks for mobile. The global platform helped more than 500 artists — including Shepard Fairey, Justin Bua, David Choe, and Apex — reach new markets via mobile devices. At peak popularity, START had users and art installations across the United States, Central & South America, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, India, China, and Russia. As a consultant, she worked with brands like Chanel, Clif Bar, Boyd Gaming, and Cirque du Soleil.

Her work at the intersections of technology, culture and civics has been recognized by NBC, Congress, and California Legislature. She has been Senior Advisor for Social Innovation for Mozilla, contributor to the Aspen Institute’s Latinos and Society Program, and member of New Media Ventures’ Investment Committee. Samala served on the World Food Programme’s Innovation Accelerator Advisory Council, and currently is a Board of Director with the Monument Lab and the Women’s Foundation of California and is Advisor to the New School's Institute on Race, Power and Political Economy.

When she isn’t working out of SHACK15 or her home office in the Castro, you can catch her being Founder & Resident DJ of the longest running 90s dance party on the West Coast on 4th Fridays at Madrone, Est. 2008. You can find her tweeting on increasingly rare occasions @samala or, more likely, cycling and paddling around the Bay Area.