She earned her B.S. in Secondary Education Social Studies, with a minor in Black Studies, from Clarion University of Pennsylvania. She earned both her M.Ed. and Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from the University of South Florida where she specialized in curriculum policy and development, Critical Race Theory, and practices for fostering equitable schools. Dr. Samuels’ research aligns with educational justice, Culturally Responsive Pedagogy, and issues of race and racism.