Samantha Smith Atkinson serves as staff director of global public policy at FedEx Corporation in Washington, D.C., where she leads global policy alignment across a broad portfolio including trade, innovation, sustainability, and corporate social responsibility. She also oversees high-level executive policy events and research, while managing key relationships with third-party olicy groups to advance the company’s strategic priorities. 

Prior to joining FedEx, Sam held senior communications roles in both the public and private sectors. She served as Communications Director for Governor Chris Christie’s 2016 presidential campaign and previously led public affairs initiatives at Google in Washington, D.C., where her work focused on competition policy, corporate taxation, and content governance. Earlier in her career, she was Press Secretary to U.S. Senator Richard Burr and Communications Director for his 2010 re-election campaign, following her initial experience on Senator John McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign. 

Sam holds degrees in Communications and Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She currently serves on the board of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, is a member of the Memphis Chamber of Commerce Chairman’s Circle, and volunteers with LeBonheur Children’s Hospital’s FedEx Family House. Sam and her husband, Bubba Atkinson, have three young children.