MEET OUR TEAM
MEET OUR TEAM
Emily Smith Pirrello
EXECUTIVE Director
LOGAN SAMPLE
PHILANTHROPY COORDINATOR
Shawn Pflanz
Director of Finance
SAM HUBBARD
​FOUNDER
in partnership with
Board of Directors
Board of Directors
Jim Hubbard | Sam Hubbard | Derek Vanover | Clare Blankemeyer | Matt Kittell
MEET OUR Advisory Council
MEET OUR Advisory Council
Patrick Coyne
Phil Duncan
Sean Herron
MARVIN LEWIS
JENNY COLLOPY
Julie Richardson
Jenifer Moore
David Singer
Justin Maines
Jake Warm
SAM HUBBARD
FOUNDER
A former two-sport standout at Moeller High School, Sam was on track to attend Notre Dame on a lacrosse scholarship until a gym class encounter with Urban Meyer diverted his path north to The Ohio State University. In Sam's four years with the Buckeyes he won a national championship, was named a 1st-Team Academic All-American, and graduated Cum Laude from the Fisher College of Business, where he studied finance while minoring in history.
In the 2018 NFL Draft, The Cincinnati Bengals selected Sam with their 77th pick to represent his hometown franchise. There, he played seven NFL seasons filled with unforgettable moments from the "Fumble in the Jungle", breaking the 31-year playoff-win drought, an AFC Championship, and a Super Bowl run. Sam's playing career is underpinned by his commitment to his hometown community.
In 2020, the mission for the Sam Hubbard Foundation came to life in the midst of the COVID19 pandemic. As uncertainty and unemployment began to skyrocket, so did the national demand on food banks. The Freestore Food Bank of Cincinnati was no exception. When Sam saw a news story reporting The Food Bank was just two weeks away from being out of food, he acted quickly to help. Sam forwarded the news story to a friend with an explicit mission in mind: we have to do something to help now. His initial text led to the creation of a GoFundMe campaign which raised over $85,000 and provided over 250,000 meals for The Freestore Food Bank. Soon thereafter, The Sam Hubbard Foundation was established and has remained committed to making a positive impact.
Sam announced his retirement from the NFL in March 2025, and now dedicates his time to his family, serving as President of SHF, and other ventures.
Emily Smith Pirrello
Executive Director
Emily Smith Pirrello is the Executive Director of The Sam Hubbard Foundation.
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Her experience across the non-profit and for-profit sectors, including leadership roles at The United Nations Foundation and the Sundance Institute (Sundance Film Festival), uniquely positions her to lead The Sam Hubbard Foundation at this exciting moment of transformational growth.
Emily's experiences are built on a foundation of educational excellence, graduating Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science from Purdue University, a Master of Science from The University of Georgia, an Executive Certificate from Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford, and an Organizational Leadership Certificate from Northwestern University.
SHAWN Pflanz
DIRECTOR OF FINANCE
A seasoned financial accountant with over 31 years of experience in both the profit and non-profit industries, including five years working with the Marvin Lewis Community Fund, Shawn serves as the accountant for the Sam Hubbard Foundation.
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Shawn is a proud graduate of Miami University’s Farmer Business School. She lives in Loveland, Ohio with her husband and four children. With all four children now in college, she is finding more time for reading and volunteering.
LOGAN SAMPLE
PHILANTHROPY COORDINATOR
Logan is deeply passionate about the mission of the Sam Hubbard Foundation, having witnessed firsthand how a lack of resources can hinder children's success in educational settings. Her experiences have fueled her commitment to making a meaningful impact through our programs. Logan is a proud graduate from the University of Tennessee, where she studied Business and Communications.
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Since making Cincinnati home, Logan has had the pleasure of serving as the Philanthropy Coordinator of the Sam Hubbard Foundation and continues to help further SHF's mission and flagship program, Hubbard's Cupboard. She currently resides in the Mason area, and enjoys yoga, practicing French, reading, and spending time with friends and family.
