Malaika Samples

Dr. Malaika Samples is the Assistant Director of the Academic Innovation Program at the Florida Institute for Child Welfare. With over 15 years of experience in instructional design, program development, and applied research, her work bridges the gap between higher education and real-world professional practice in child welfare and related fields.

Dr. Samples currently leads the Institute’s efforts to design and scale innovative educational experiences for interdisciplinary students across Florida. Her portfolio includes case-based and simulation-based learning initiatives, faculty development, and the launch of a statewide experiential learning lab scheduled to open in 2025. She also oversees strategic planning, project implementation, and cross-institutional partnerships to ensure academic programming prepares future professionals for the complexities of child welfare.

Before joining the Institute, Dr. Samples served as the Associate Director of Learning Design and Innovation at the American Society of Addiction Medicine, where she led a team that developed accredited training programs for over 7,000 healthcare professionals. Her background also includes nearly a decade with Florida State University’s Emergency Management and Homeland Security program, where she taught, coordinated academic programs, and supported international field research.

Her research interests include program evaluation, instructional design, adult learning, and innovations in experiential education. She has presented her work at national and international conferences and co-authored publications on disaster management, adult education, and curriculum evaluation.

Education

EdD, 2018, Florida State University, Educational Leadership & Policy Studies (Education Policy and Evaluation)
Graduate Certificate, 2014, Florida State University, Program Evaluation
MPA, 2011, Florida State University, Public Administration
BA, 2005, Florida State University, Multilingual/Multicultural Education (K-12)

Selected Publications

Easton, P., and Samples, M. (2015). Adult Education at the World Bank: Poor Cousin or Key Stakeholder? Published: Global Perspectives on Adult Education and Learning Policy, 194-206.

Selected Presentations

Radhakrishnan, V. and Samples, M. "Innovations in Medical Education: Enhancing Learner Engagement through Case-Based Learning and Interactive Design” The Online Learning Consortium (OLC) 2024 Innovate Conference (Virtual)