As a newcomer to Aotearoa New Zealand in 2020, Sam threw herself into the local Christchurch community immediately, while directing her Montreal company Artifact 5 from our far-flung time zone. Through her position as a member (2021-2023) and then Chair (2023-2024) of the Christchurch Game Dev Association Committee, she helped to steer the growing local community, as well as to shepherd the CGDA itself through its first full year as an official Society. She has mentored up-and-coming game devs in Production and Business Development officially through CODE and the NZ Film Commission, unofficially mentored and encouraged game devs across the South Island, and sat on Te Puna Matarau to represent game development to the wider Canterbury screen industry.