Sam Kulla: Systems, Stories, and the Power of Kindness

Sam Kulla brings a systems view to social change—combining strategy, education, conservation, and lived experience. With more than two decades of work across sectors, Sam now works with enterprise foundations and Fortune 500 companies on how to create meaningful, measurable impact. Our conversation stretched across business ethics, public space design, and the architecture of kindness.

Raised in Missoula, Montana, Sam grew up close to nature and community, the child of Bay Area parents who sought a simpler life in the mountains. He spent years traveling and working around the world before finding his way into social impact strategy. Today, he helps organizations align their goals with the greater good—balancing metrics with meaning. “We still have to be respectful of the numbers,” he said, “but there’s an appetite now for other types of progress. For me, that's service.” Talking about impact work in education, “When you're improving outcomes for children, that could be test results, or it could just be the kids are happier in a program. If a program leads kids towards their authentic interests, that matters.”

For Sam, kindness has structure. He spoke about the value of embedding empathy in leadership, culture, and operations. In politics, that means listening beyond the election cycle and building systems to stay connected to real needs. “We're seeking to elect people who can understand the needs of their community and carry those needs forward. And that's a kind of empathy.” He talked about the importance of listening and listening over time. “The world is a dynamic place, and it's always changing.” This means staying in touch. “Hold events where you can actually talk to constituents and have measures in place where you can connect with them on an ongoing basis and stay aware of what's actually happening on the ground. That's the difference between simply leading and actually serving, and it’s important.”

We also spoke about urban design and how physical spaces shape human interaction. Sam contrasted New York’s communal energy with the isolation of car-centered cities. He discussed the potential correlation in more isolated public space design and how people connect and their overall kindness. “Even our physical spaces affect how kind we are.” His view is both pragmatic and optimistic: that we can shape systems—and cities—that invite connection instead of eroding it.

Cultural nuance also came through in his reflections. Sam described meetings in China that prioritized shared meals over negotiation, a reminder that business can center hospitality, not just haste. He contrasted that with the American “worship for concise statements and brevity” where getting to the point may be more valued than connecting with people.

Near the end of our talk, Sam shared a moment that stayed with him—visiting a close friend, an artist, near the end of her life. She was in her studio, surrounded by friends, children, and grandchildren, working on a piece of art at her table. “I thought, this kind of success is more valuable than money. The fact that her road led her to such a beautiful moment. It struck me that we can just get so tied up looking for these material things and validation in our bank accounts and all this stuff, when the real value is just in the type of community and the type of love that you attract.“

“Are you leading a life of interconnected positive moments of compassion and empathy, or are you struggling for something that's removed and illusory? It comes down to being present, being grounded in the moment, and not getting caught up in finding validation.”

Sam Kulla is a strategist, educator, and systems builder who believes kindness is not a compromise—it is the foundation for meaningful leadership and resilient communities. Keep an eye out for more interviews.