As a journalist, Sam Sanders is one of the only writers worldwide covering the crossover of play, science, and politics. This has led to his work being featured in The New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, L.A. Times, Time Magazine, and more.

As an author, Sam is currently working on his second nonfiction book that explores how play can positively impact society and politics.

Sam is passionate about viewing play from every angle. He fills his nights, weekends, and days with professional exploration of how to apply the lessons from having fun. His work around play spans multiple fields as a journalist, author, board game industry executive, professor of entrepreneurship, and comedian.

As the former Chief Operating Officer of North Star Games, Sam is deeply attuned to how people play in practice. He understands how games can connect people and what they look for when they play. At North Star Games, he grew Wits and Wagers, a trivia party game, to over 3 million copies sold and launched over 7 new board game franchises, including Paint the Roses, Oceans, and Nature, the last of which generated over $1,000,000 in preorders alone.

As a professor at The University of the District of Columbia (DC’s 4-year public university, akin to Penn State or Ohio State), Sam taught an entrepreneurial development course on growing startups. His philosophy was play-forward, using educational games to help my classes of 20+ students practice marketing, finance, and creativity, and grow their businesses.

Sam also views play through art. He is a comedian who leads the Washington, D.C. Improv Theater’s political comedy division, where he works on shows that satirize Congress, institutions, party gridlock, and more for DC audiences. As those who are deep in improv know, when a group of improvisers performs, they are called “players,” a testament to the freedom and fun we have on stage. His comedy extends to TV, where you can find him as a sketch actor in Netflix's Conan O'Brien Mark Twain Prize for Comedy Special.

He additionally serves as the Chair of the Media Committee for The International Play Association USA.

His first book, Your Next Big Idea, explored how entrepreneurs, inventors, and creatives generate ideas. Your Next Big Idea won multiple awards, including IndieReader’s Business Book of the Year.

He designs his own games as well; you can see his published board game expansion: Paint the Roses: The Cheshire Kitten. He continues to advise multiple board game companies today, often focusing on games themed around science, political, and cultural themes.