Sam Hamadani

Sam Hamadani was born in Iran, but her parents immigrated to the United States in search of a better life when she was fifteen months old. Sam grew up in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She attended college at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she studied psychology and sociology. After graduating from college, Sam committed her life to public service. First, she moved to Washington, D.C. where she worked as a Legislative Correspondent for then-Senator Joe Biden. Then, after a few years in D.C., Sam returned to NC to attend the University of North Carolina School of Law. Upon graduation, Sam served Wake County as an assistant public defender, representing thousands of indigent individuals in criminal court. In June 2017, Sam was appointed by Governor Roy Cooper to serve as a Wake County District Court Judge. Sam is the first Iranian American judge in North Carolina.