An Animal Lover Attributes Some Wisdom to Taylor Swift – Sam Wright, NCWF Charlie Shaw Society Donor

Taylor Swift sings about invisible strings leading her path to love. As a self-professed Swiftie and animal lover, Sam Wright says it was those invisible strings, influencing her to make decisions that have huge outcomes that brought her to where she is today.

Sam spent nearly her entire childhood outside. She loved watching wildlife of all kinds, squatting over an ant hill, and exploring the pond down the street. “My happy place was just being outside, whether with a purpose of doing something… or not.” Her favorite memories include catching frogs and tadpoles, identifying scat on trails with her grandfather, and watching birds with her grandmother.

Sam recalled a particular story of unwilling insects in a museum-like display, “I didn’t have delicate pins or cases as in museums, but I had some nails and a 2×4 to display them on,” she shared self-deprecatingly. 

This early love of nature led to a degree in Zoology and work in the nonprofit field. Eventually, this invisible string led her to her present-day passion for using analytics to drive fundraising growth for nonprofit organizations as a Senior Advisor for Armstrong McGuire. However, Sam isn’t all about the data, she is also about making a difference. 

For more than a year, Sam has been working with North Carolina Wildlife Federation in developing its strategic wildlife conservation impact plan. “I have experienced NCWF from the inside out – and the outside in – and feel more compelled than ever to step up for wildlife… and I trust NCWF to do that wholeheartedly, driven by a plan for impact.”

This trust and conviction is a big reason why Sam joined NCWF’s Shaw Society. “I feel proud of this gift and also privileged that I am able to give at this level. That said, I believe giving at any and every level is impactful and the same goes for time invested.”

Sam is most concerned about the increase in people moving to North Carolina and the associated development and pressure it puts on wildlife and their habitats. 

“Seeing animals that have been hit by cars breaks my heart. And it kills me to see what appears to be an increase in birds of prey being hit.” She recognizes there are no easy solutions to this problem and also feels that all of us can become more aware of the individual choices we make daily that impact the wildlife and outdoor spaces, air, and water we share.

You can join Sam and other NCWF donors in the Shaw Society by donating $1,000 or more in a calendar year. Some people prefer to give a single gift in a year, others like to give monthly, and some give through stock, their IRA, or donor advised fund. To learn about all the ways you can join the Shaw Society and support wildlife and habitat in North Carolina today and for future generations, contact NCWF VP of Philanthropy Kate Greiner at [email protected].