Samantha Willis

Samantha Willis, a writer and journalist whose experience in digital, print and broadcast media spans 12 years, is Commentary and Deputy Editor at the Virginia Mercury. Her work has appeared in leading publications including Glamour Magazine, Essence Magazine, Scalawag Magazine, and the Columbia Journalism Review, and within a wide range of Virginia-based media. Before joining the Mercury in November 2022, Samantha was Editorial Producer for VPM News Focal Point, a weekly statewide television news show she helped launch in February 2021. Before VPM, Willis was an independent journalist (2017-2021), arts editor at Richmond Magazine (2015-2017), and Digital Content Producer and Manager at ABC 8News (2012-2015), among other media roles. She is also the co-creator of The Unmasking Series, an anti-racism dialogue and workshop program which has convened four times throughout the state of Virginia: #UnmaskingRVA (Richmond, 2016-17), #UnmaskingCville (Charlottesville, 2018), #UnmaskingHR (South Hampton Roads, 2019), #UnmaskingPeninsula (The Virginia Peninsula/Hampton University, 2021). Samantha lives in Hanover County with her husband and three sons.