Meet Sam

I moved to London in 2001 to join the faculty at the University of Western Ontario (UWO), with a joint appointment in the Faculty of Law and in the Faculty of Information & Media Studies (FIMS). I received tenure and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2006.

An active member of the University of Western Ontario Faculty Association (UWOFA), I served as a Grievance Officer, on the UWOFA Board, as the Association Secretary, and on several campus policy committees. I represented the Faculty of Law on the University Senate and was elected to serve as a faculty representative to the UWO Board of Governors, a position I held from 2019 -2023. I retired from UWO in December 2023 and am currently an Emeritus Professor.

My service in national professional associations has included work with the Canadian Library Association (CLA) and the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT). I served on CLA’s Intellectual Freedom and Copyright Committees, on CAUT’s Librarians’ Committee, as a Visiting Faculty Scholar with CAUT working on copyright policy issues, and was the recipient of the 2020-2021 CAUT Dedicated Service Award.

Prior to coming to London, I was a Law Librarian at the University of California at Berkeley and was previously engaged in private law practice holding memberships in the State Bar of California and the United States Supreme Court Bar.

In addition to earning my BA from the Pennsylvania State University and my Juris Doctor degree from Southwestern University School of Law, over the years I continued my graduate and professional education. I’ve earned graduate degrees in Law (LL.M., Taxation), Public Administration (MPA, Public Management) and Library & Information Science (MLIS, San Jose State University and Ph.D, UCLA). My doctoral work at UCLA focused copyright and other information policy issues.

After settling in London I quickly became involved in local issues, representing my neighborhood at the OMB, working on several environmental and other civic campaigns, including representing Imagine London in their successful effort at the OMB to redesign the city’s ward map. I was also appointed by Council to serve as the Chair of the London Housing Advisory Committee from 2006-2010. Over the years I continued to make numerous submissions and delegations before City Council, and ultimately was elected to serve as the Ward 6 Councillor for the 2022-2026 term.

In addition to my Council Standing Committees (Corporate Services Committee, Civic Works Committee, Community and Protective Services Committee, Strategic Priorities and Policy Committee), I’m a member of the Governance Working Group. I also serve on the London Public Library Board, the London Transit Commission, the Kettle Creek Conservation Authority Board, and on the Museum London Board.

I’ve resided in Broughdale with my wife Marie since moving to London and have performed in several local bands and ensembles.