Sandra A.M. (SAM) Steiner is a writer, mother of multiples, and life-long wonderer.
She received an undergraduate degree in Zoology from Duke University, her Master’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of Texas-Austin and graduate certificate in Infant Early Childhood, and Family Mental Health from University of Wisconsin-Madison.
SAM worked in leading pediatric hospital rehabilitation programs as a speech-language pathologist and at Oregon Health & Science University as a research associate on a project funded by the Institute for Educational Science to develop an educational planning tool using the International Classification by Functioning (ICF). Subsequently, she was invited to join the World Health Organization Mobile ICF Global Partnership.
All positions led to published abstracts, manuscripts as well as presentations at international professional conferences in Hawaii, Finland, and South Africa.
She raised four wonderful children and was a founding member of Family of Friends, a mentoring program in Portland, Oregon, where SAM and her husband resurrected their first disaster property. SAM is a community leader, volunteer on a number of boards of non-profit organizations, an elected member of the local School Board, and an activist raising awareness of racial, economic and social injustice.
Writing and wondering all the while, SAM is published in US Catholic, Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, Journal of ISAAC, The Bee, Catholic Times, Catholic Life, Just Faith, Hub City Times, and Marshfield News-Herald.
SAM participated in the prestigious Pathways to Publications writing program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She lives in Central Wisconsin on a 16-acre former botanical garden with her saintly husband Bob (noted geneticist, physician-scientist and journal editor), dog Mellie and assorted wildlife.
In her spare time, SAM talks a lot, teaches beginning ballet, is a fearless chef, reluctant dog trainer, amateur forester, and of course, a gardener.
