My Story
Hi, I’m Samantha Derrick,
the Founder and Executive Director
of Plant Futures Initiative, a nonprofit working to accelerate the transition to a plant-centered food system that’s better
for people, animals, and the planet.
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I was born and raised in Florida in a bicultural household - my mom is Mexican, my dad is American - and I grew up moving between two very different worlds. These contrasting cultures shaped my perspective and made me deeply aware of the social and health inequalities that exist across communities.
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When I was 12, I saw a video of how animals were treated in slaughterhouses, and my life changed forever. I told my parents I’d never eat animals again, and I never did. That decision shaped the course of my life. My concerns for public health, the health of the planet, and the welfare of animals drove me to adopt a plant-based diet early on and pursue a path rooted in environmental and health activism.
Helping animals became my mission, and encouraging others to eat more plants became my way of doing it. Why not? Everyone wins.
​My dream was to go to UC Berkeley for school and in 2010, I moved to California to study Environmental Policy and Economics at Berkeley.
I joined the animal rights club on campus and went on to work across the U.S., Mexico, San Francisco, and India in clean energy, wildlife conservation, and environmental advocacy. But in my heart, I knew I wanted to work to transform the food system. It was where I could make the biggest impact.
After working in clean energy for a few years in San Francisco, I decided it was time to switch my career path and went back to UC Berkeley for a Master’s in Publiac Health Nutrition. Despite applying to 10 Master’s Programs and almost moving to the Northeast, my heart pulled me back to UC Berkeley and I didn’t know why. Now I know.
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I didn’t know what to do with that realization - until I met my professor, Will Rosenzweig, in a course called Edible Education. Will asked me a simple question: “What do you care about?” I told him how frustrated I was that there were no plant-based food initiatives on campus. He encouraged me: “Why don’t you start one?”
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That moment sparked the beginning of my entrepreneurial journey. For a class assignment, I designed a course and a syllabus - essentially, the kind of education I had wished for when I first came to Berkeley. At the time, I thought it was just a project. But when I submitted it to Will, he got excited and said, “We should submit this to the university. I think we’re onto something.”
When I arrived at UC Berkeley to study public health nutrition, I was energized by the idea of focusing on plant-centered food systems. To me, that was where the most powerful levers for change existed - at the intersection of food, health, and sustainability and that's where I wanted to build my career path. But to my surprise, I quickly realized that there was virtually no education on plant-centered food systems, and almost nothing at all on animal agriculture. I was stunned. How could a leading public health program be missing this critical piece of the conversation?
Sure enough, a few months later, the course was officially approved for academic credit at UC Berkeley’s Business School.
I launched it and co-taught it with Will, along with my co-founders Brittany Sartor and Nina Gilbeaut. That course became the foundation for what would grow into Plant Futures - global nonprofit and a movement that started in the clasroom and reached far beyond what I had imagined.
Today, Plant Futures is a nonprofit social enterprise offering a globally accessible curriculum and a growing ecosystem of students, educators, and mission-aligned partners. We’ve built a network of nearly 100 University chapters and we’re working to activate the next generation of food systems leaders - people who are values-driven, impact-focused, and ready to create real change. Through our courses, events, and community-building work, we’ve reached thousands of students and collaborators around the world.
I’m a digital nomad, splitting my time between Mexico City, Berkeley, Florida, and wherever inspiration pulls me next. I’m a runner, hiker, raver, and proud foodie, always exploring the richness of plant-based cuisine, especially in Mexico where tradition and innovation meet in every dish.
Through a globally accessible curriculum and a multi-disciplinary, ecosystem of students, faculty, and professional partners, PFI is activating, educating, and empowering the next generation of ethically conscious leaders and entrepreneurs to accelerate transitions to healthy, regenerative and just food systems. Through my leadership role, I am uniquely positioned with an opportunity to exponentially expand an initiative that has already impacted thousands of students, faculty members, and industry partners across the world into a global movement of Plant Futurists, the new generation of evolved food systems leaders who will guide and accelerate a transition to a plant-centered food system.
If you know me, you know that electronic music and festivals have deeply shaped my life. They’ve given me more than joy - they’ve given me healing, belonging, and a deep sense of connection. In the electronic music community, I’ve found freedom, clarity, and purpose. These experiences didn’t just change me; they now live in my work. I collaborate with festivals to bring plant-based awareness and climate consciousness into the cultural spaces where transformation is already happening. I believe change doesn’t just come from institutions. It comes from shared joy, sound, and movement.
But nothing has influenced me more than the people in my life. My friendships define who I am. I’m incredibly lucky to be surrounded by an extraordinary community of family, friends, colleagues, and mentors who have shaped me in profound ways. Their love, support, and wisdom have guided every part of my journey, and I carry deep gratitude for each one of them.
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Everything I do is rooted in my culture, my lived experience, and a belief that food, music, and community are powerful tools for healing, justice, and collective growth.
Plant Futures is about more than food. It’s about empowering the next generation of leaders to create a better world through careers rooted in values, purpose, and integrity. I’ve seen what happens when passion aligns with mission - it unlocks transformation, both personal and collective. And the most exciting part? We’re just getting started.
