About

An operations executive who ships AI products

I am Samantha Black. For fifteen years I have built learning, content, and operational systems that make complex work feel clear and human. Today I am AVP of Online Education Production and Innovation at Academy of Art University, where I lead the production and operations behind a large online program.

My shape is a little unusual. I am an enterprise operations leader who also builds. I taught myself to ship real software with AI, and I have the products to show for it. On my own I built and launched Methodwise, a consumer homework platform, and Earnling, a mobile app that shows kids the moment their small business turns a profit. Inside Academy of Art University I built the Course Development Coach, now in expanded pilot, and automated our entire contract process end-to-end. I care about the craft on both sides, the operational system and the thing people actually use.

Testimonials

What academic and executive leaders say

Feedback from leaders I have partnered with across fifteen years at Academy of Art University.

I've worked with Samantha for nearly 15 years, and she remains a trusted and respected colleague. Her leadership is grounded in integrity, professionalism, and a deep commitment to building systems that truly work. Samantha brings clarity to complex challenges and designs solutions that are effective, sustainable, and responsive to organizational needs. Her calm, thoughtful approach fosters trust, and her insight elevates every project she's involved in.
Chief Academic Officer, Academy of Art University
Samantha challenges the status quo while maintaining integrity and focus. She consistently analyzes complex situations, develops practical solutions, implements them, and evaluates results with measurable impact. She is someone I rely on for process improvement, employee engagement, and organizational effectiveness.
Executive Vice President, Online Education Academics and Services, Academy of Art University
Samantha would be a transformational addition to any team. She's exceptional in her abilities to connect, synthesize, organize, and communicate. She navigated an environment of constantly reduced resources, big personalities, and demanding deadlines, embodied integrity, and ensured our standards never slipped, always advocating for students while understanding the needs of the business.
Vice President of Online Education, Academy of Art University
I appreciate Sam's adeptness at keeping track of an endless string of details through custom-designed systems that keep things organized and optimized across our entire organization. She processes complex situations and communicates them efficiently with stakeholders to keep things running smoothly. She's an integral asset to our team.
Production Director, Academy of Art University
Samantha is exceptionally analytical and solution-oriented as a leader. She stepped into the role seamlessly, was extremely knowledgeable and articulate, and was ready to undertake any and all challenges. She made the effort to check on her team members personally and nurture relationships with everyone. It made her an absolute pleasure to work with and for.
Production Administrator, Academy of Art University

Engagements

Two ways to work together

I am open to senior full-time roles and to a limited number of fractional and consulting engagements. If your work sits where learning, operations, and AI meet, we will have plenty to talk about.

Full-time leadership

Senior roles in edtech, learning platforms, and AI-for-learning companies, where operational scale and hands-on AI building both matter.

  • Heads of product, learning, or operations
  • AI-native product and platform teams
  • 0-to-1 and turnaround mandates

Fractional and consulting

Focused engagements in AI-assisted curriculum design and learning operations, including fractional product management.

  • Fractional product management
  • AI-assisted curriculum and instructional design
  • Learning operations and production systems

Contact

Let's start a conversation

Whether you are hiring for a senior role or looking for fractional help with AI-assisted curriculum and learning operations, I would be glad to hear what you are working on.

samantha@samanthakblack.com