Maria “Sam” Juan: From Army Special Operations to Authentic Living

Maria “Sam” Juan is a U.S. Army veteran, former Special Operations Cultural Support Team leader, artist, and storyteller who is helping young people discover the power of resilience and authentic living. Born in Bahrain and raised in the United States, Sam served in Army special operations before building a career in communications for the Department of Defense. Today, she speaks openly about courage, identity, healing, and what it means to show up as your true self—even when life feels overwhelming. In this powerful Edutainment Learning conversation, students from around the world ask Sam about leadership, resilience, creativity, and her upcoming book Everything Happens For You, which shares her journey of growth and rediscovery.

Are you an educator? Go to edutainmentlearning.com/podcasts to download student worksheets for every episode!