Samantha Gibbons Humphries

What is your current role and what are your primary responsibilities?

Digital Creative Director at an ad agency. 

I oversee the UX team and the creative direction of all digital projects including websites, mobile apps and enterprise software for our clients.

What skills from your time at SPHS have been most valuable to you?

Adapting to new environments and tight deadlines (and working with difficult people 😝)

How did your career path evolve?

The evolution of my career was a wild one. I originally got a BA in journalism from Ole Miss and moved to Florida to work for a magazine. But it was 2008 and the financial crisis was in full swing and companies were laying people off left and right especially in print journalism. So I decided to pivot and go back to school for what I always wanted to do - art and graphic design. Ultimately ended up with another degree in Art from UAB and slowly worked my way into exclusively digital design which has become my passion. 

What advice would you give your past self about career planning?  about life planning?

Learn to adapt and roll with the punches life throws at you. It rarely goes to plan, so always have a plan b!

Who was your favorite teacher and why (and which class did they teach)?

Mr. Allen!!! Sophomore year English teacher! His passion and devotion to his students was clear from day one. He opened my eyes to a love of learning, reading and writing. Even if it didn’t end up being my career path, he taught me to love writing and not to be scared of pursuing your passions! Everyone should have a Mr. Allen in their life. He even helped me apply for and get accepted to a summer program at Princeton which I never would have done without his insistence. 

What extracurriculars did you participate in and how did that shape your time at SPHS?

Honestly, I was in a lot of clubs to help build my resume for college, and I truly can’t remember any of them except the newspaper staff 🤦‍♀️. Lauren Long Mask and I worked very hard to build and grow The Jag Jungle. Even though it’s now defunct, it taught me to persevere over hardships, work under tight deadlines and fight for what you believe in!

What advice would you give students to maximize their high school experience?

Invest in the things that interest you! Don’t just build a college resume because college isn’t for everyone and it doesn’t assure you a job. If you like woodworking, find a way to make that an extracurricular! You never know where you might end up or what you might want to make a career out of. College isn’t the goal; a fulfilling life is!

What are you most proud of since graduating from SP?

Starting a screen printing business with my wife from the ground up. It started in our guest bedroom and now we are printing for companies like Valvoline, The Big 12 & SEC conferences, UAB and more.  

What are your favorite memories from your time at SPHS?

Tailgating and prom with friends. We had a great group of friends that did everything together, and it was always a blast.