Samantha is originally from Buffalo, N.Y., where she grew up in a close-knit Italian family. She attended college locally at Canisius College, where she majored in biology. While an undergrad, she actively participated in microbiology research, studying E. coli cell-rounding in the presence of bacteriophage. She went to medical school at West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine, where she became experienced in rural medicine and the ability to use osteopathic manipulative medicine to treat patients. She is interested in lifestyle medicine, obesity medicine and teaching. In her free time, she loves playing basketball, solving jigsaw puzzles, reading science fiction, hiking and spending time with her friends and family.