Samuel A. Epps IV
Samuel Epps has two decades of experience in labor, government, advocacy, and electoral politics. After getting his start at United Way, Sam left advocacy work to start his first campaign in Chicago. Sam went on to serve in roles in some of the most watched races for U.S. Senate, Governor, House of Representatives and state and local races. Among many others, he has worked on campaigns of President Barack Obama, Sen. Carol Mosely Braun (D-IL), Gov. John Corzine (D-NJ), Gov. Martin O’Malley (D, MD), Rep. Donna Edwards (D-MD), and numerous local races in District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia.
Sam is in his 18th year in the labor movement and is currently the President of the Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO, and serving as the Political Director for UNITE HERE Local 25, advocating on behalf of 6,500 hospitality workers in the District of Columbia, Prince George’s County, and Northern VA. Under his leadership, Local 25’s political operation has become one of the most impactful in the region. Sam has played a critical role in some of our local labor movement’s most significant legislative victories, including the passage of short-term rental regulations, D.C. and Virginia’s $15 minimum wages, right to return to work legislation and the District’s automatic daily room cleaning ordinance. In addition, Sam has overseen Local 25’s expansion into Virginia politics, where he has helped secure incredible victories for pro-worker candidates across the Commonwealth. He started as a political organizer with 1199 SEIU United Healthcare East MD/DC.
Sam is a UNITE HERE Local 25 Executive Committee member as 1st Vice President. He has served as Treasurer of the Metropolitan Washington AFL-CIO, the Co-Chair of the Metropolitan Washington AFL-CIO COPE Committee for Prince George’s/Montgomery County, a member of the VA AFL-CIO Political Steering Committee and on the Executive committee of DC Jobs with Justice. He is President of the Trustee Ministry of the First Baptist Church, Inc. of North Brentwood, MD. Sam is a former Board of Library Trustees member for the Prince George’s County Memorial Library System. He has served on numerous boards such as the Working Families Party, Ceasefire Maryland, Maryland Citizens Against State Executions, HOPE, Inc., and Keep in Step.
A native of Erie, Pennsylvania, Sam graduated from Penn State University, Behrend College. He currently resides in Laurel, MD, with his wife, Zabrina.