People have different drives and aspirations, which can either make them the leader or the follower.
True leaders are also good followers and come from all occupations. They are able to build lasting
relationships, forge bonds, and develop trust with the people they encounter.
One of those people is Sherrie Sams, who manages to succeed in her craft and, at the same time,
succeed in developing and mentoring the people around her. Her position as the Founder and Executive
Director of Ambassadors for Christ Youth Ministries, Inc. allows her to sow seeds into the youth served
as well as the staff she employs.
Ambassadors For Christ Youth Ministries, Inc. (AFC) is a 501(c)(3) faith and community based nonprofit organization whose mission is to inspire excellence and promote leadership to children and youth through mentoring, music and the performing arts in order to provoke positive change and enrichment in the community. Sams graduated from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and, afterwards, established a 12-year career as a Polymer Chemist. Ever since she could remember, Sams has possessed a deep love of music and the performing arts, and later discovered that this love would give her a platform in churches and schools to minister to youth experiencing issues of bullying, drugs, teen pregnancy, homelessness and abuse. She was so fueled by her passion that it gave an unquenchable drive to begin providing voluntary mentoring sessions to youth at an alternative school near her workplace during her lunch breaks.
In 2006, through an undeniable prompting of the Holy Spirit, Sams founded Ambassadors For
Christ. Since its inception, AFC has become a thriving, state of the art organization that has gained
national attention through the Aetna Foundation and CNN. Under her leadership, AFC has
touched the lives of more than 12,000 at-risk, underserved and underprivileged youth. With a total of
three administrative offices in two States (Texas and Arkansas), AFC operates two male and female
transitional living programs for homeless young adults who are over the age of 18, as well as a Basic
Center emergency shelter for homeless youth under the age of 18. Additionally, AFC operates a drop in
and resource center in one of north Houston’s most high crime infested areas, a domestic-victims of
human trafficking (DVHT) program, a street outreach program, a young mother’s juvenile reentry
program, a childhood obesity health and wellness program, a counseling and therapy program to help
combat issues of mental health, trauma and substance abuse and a teen pregnancy prevention, HIV
and STI awareness program. As AFC embarks upon its 13th year this upcoming October, Sams has
plans to expand its services yet again, to incorporate social enterprise businesses and a young
offender’s 2nd chance reentry program.
Beyond her professional work, Sams is an avid believer in discontinuing the poverty mentality that
some of our youth have unfortunately inherited. She has an unparalleled passion to shift the
mindsets of at-risk youth and instill in them positivity and fortitude.
Sams currently resides in Houston, Texas, is married to Kenneth Sams, and has three
children, ages 23, 21, and 4. As a mother of multi-generational children, she brings a unique
perspective to the juggling act women face daily balancing motherhood and their professional lives.
Sherrie Sams
Founder and Executive
Director of Ambassadors for Christ Youth Ministries, Inc
