Samantha Duncan was born in Manhattan to two research biologists who taught her about the power of curiosity. She grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin where she developed a slew of passions relating to learning and creating. She received her Bachelors of Arts cum laude at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois in cultural and linguistic anthropology and minored in French. At Northwestern, Samantha was able to create a learning experience unique to her passions; she interned in a pastry kitchen in Paris, interned at the Field Museum in Chicago, and researched and wrote three large scale field-based ethnographies (all focusing on the culinary world!). Her thesis Appraising tacos: Unraveling value-imbuing processes and narratives of authenticity received honors and the "Most Outstanding Thesis in Latina/o Studies" award.
On the side, Samantha has continually engaged with art and design. Having received formal education in both two-dimensional and three-dimensional forms, she maintains a practice of fine art. Samantha is excited by meaningfully designed objects, and has created several pieces of her own furniture, including the coffee table from which she writes this bio. This passion for design has translated into digital work, including blog design, logo design, and promotional material creation. An interest in innovative, conceptual, and interactional design drives Samantha's personal and professional pursuits as she seeks out aesthetic solutions.
Samantha aims to combine her loves of anthropological thinking, humankind and culture, and design through branding, visual and creative storytelling, and digital marketing. As a student of material culture, Samantha is compelled to create in ways that are more than average; she hopes to cultivate brands, materials and digital experiences that are meaningful, design-driven, and community engaging.
Samantha now resides in the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago, where she has access to all kinds of cuisines and cultures and creative energy.