At Publix, people come first — and Samantha Campbell’s journey proves just how far you can go when you’re encouraged to be yourself.

Samantha began her retail career in Lakeland, Florida, not knowing where the path would lead. Fast-forward 20 years, and she’s now the coffee and tea buyer, helping decide what ends up on the shelves for millions of customers to enjoy each morning.

Along the way, she advanced through customer service roles and stepped into leadership with confidence, which led to her becoming a store manager. What made the difference? Feeling included and empowered every step of the way.

“I’ve always felt supported,” said Samantha. “I never had to change who I was to grow. I was given the chance to lead, to learn and to be myself.”

Today, she remains closely connected to the customer experience, planning promotions, evaluating new products and collaborating with suppliers from around the world.

“Companies send products from all over to be considered for distribution in our stores,” said Samantha. “It’s incredible to see the variety of businesses that want to partner with Publix.”

But what drives her most is helping others see what’s possible.

“If you’re open to learning and ready to take on new challenges, there’s no limit to what you can do at Publix,” she said.

One quote from Mr. George continues to inspire her, “Publix is like a smorgasbord with opportunity spread out for you. Prepare yourself. The opportunities are up for grabs.”

Samantha’s experiences remind us of what makes Publix special: a culture where people from all backgrounds are empowered to grow, supported to lead and encouraged to be themselves.

Publix is a family — a big, 260,000-person one — with backgrounds from across the country and around the world. This article is part of a series featuring associates from a variety of backgrounds, age groups and cultures, and we love sharing their successes. We hope our articles help you learn a little more about your fellow associates who make up our Publix family.