U.S. Navy
DR Sampson is a 1999 graduate of the State University of New York at Buffalo with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. He holds a Master of Information Technology Management and a Master of Business Administration, both from The American University in Washington, D.C. Sampson enlisted and was designated a Naval Aircrewman serving as an Aviation Warfare Systems Operator on the P-3C Orion from 1999 to 2001. He deployed with Patrol Squadron One (VP-1) in support of western pacific (WESTPAC) operations and on his return, he selected for Officer Candidate School and was commissioned on 21 September 2001. Sampson was designated a Naval Aviator at Naval Air Station (NAS) Whiting Field in May 2003. His flying assignment was with Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light Four Four (HSL-44) embarked in USS OSCAR AUSTIN (DDG 79) deploying in 2005 to support Operation Iraqi Freedom, and in 2006 conducting Anti-Piracy Operations off the Horn of Africa. Sampson’s shore tour was on the Navy Staff, Air Warfare Division (OPNAV N88) as an Aviation Training Systems Requirements Officer and Program Manager Aviation Training Systems (PMA205) as an Integrated Product Team Lead for Common Simulation Products and Support. Sampson affiliated with the Naval Reserve in May 2010 and his assignments include the Office of Naval Research / Navy Research Lab (ONR/NRL) as a Science and Technology Liaison Officer, Commander Submarine Forces Pacific as a Theater Anti-Submarine Warfare Watch Officer and Deputy Operational Planning Team Lead, and United States Fleet Forces Command Maritime Operations (MOC) as a Crisis Action Team MOC Watch Officer. He is currently on active duty as the Chief Digital Officer responsible for the digital transformation of the F-35 Lightning II Joint Program Office. His civilian career as an IT consultant includes Program Management Office establishment and software / systems development for fortune 500 companies throughout the United States. His awards include Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal, unit and service awards. He is certified as a Project Management Professional (PMP), and holds multiple Defense Acquisition Workforce certifications.