For the past two years, Sam Petersen has served as Castilleja’s Communications and Digital Media Specialist, shaping how campus life is captured and shared with the broader community.
Through photo and video recaps for major events like Spirit Week and the Tie Ceremony, as well as special projects such as the “Asking For A Friend” series with Dr. Noel-Pierre, Petersen highlights the energy and voices of the Castilleja community.
“There are so many cool stories to tell,” he said, emphasizing the variety and creativity of a school setting. “I’ve been able to share a lot of my experience from the sports and documentary world to help students and faculty tell their stories.”
Petersen’s passion for visual storytelling began in North Carolina, where he was “obsessed with skiing” and dreamed of making professional ski videos. While he jokes that he wasn’t very good at it, the process of filming his friends sparked a deeper passion for visual storytelling. “Through that, I got really into photography and video production,” he said.
During college, Petersen worked as a production assistant with a documentary team, an experience he described as a pivotal moment in his career. Through this opportunity, he received mentorship and contributed to a large-scale project, including an Emmy Award-winning production, which helped shape his professional goals.
Petersen soon secured what he described as a “dream job”: producing video content for the North Carolina Courage, a professional women’s soccer team, where he served as the organization’s primary creative voice.
Four years ago, Petersen moved to the Bay Area to continue pursuing opportunities in sports media and creative production. He eventually transitioned into education-based storytelling, applying his background in visual media to highlight campus life and community events.
In addition to his professional work, Petersen stays creative through personal projects and exploring the outdoors. He enjoys long bike rides and often spends time hiking with his dog, Ollie.
From sports media to school communities, Petersen has remained committed to authentic storytelling in every role he takes on, and his work continues to shape the Castilleja community.
