Sam Capers Celebrates 48 Years of Service at DPH

With nearly half a century of experience behind her, Sam Capers’ passion for the work she does at DPH has not dwindled a bit.

Sam serves as an Administrative Assistant at the Holly Hill Health Department, where she brings experience, enthusiasm and dedication to serving the agency’s Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Nutrition Program as well as Preventive Health and Immunization services.  

“Sam is dedicated to serving the people of our community and state,” said Lauren Kinsey, Holly Hill Health Department Manager. “She takes pride in ensuring that clients’ needs are met.”  

Sam’s career with DPH and its legacy agency, DHEC, has spanned 48 years and counting.  

Sam found the first 30 years of her career to be especially meaningful. During that time, she worked in DPH programs involving social work and other family services, which she feels allowed her to make a strong, positive impact on her community.

For Sam, community is what the job is all about. That is especially true when it comes to her role at the Holly Hill Health Department because Holly Hill isn’t just where Sam works. The small town, nestled in Orangeburg County, is home. As a long-time member of the Holly Hill community, Sam feels closely connected to the needs of the families she and her team serve.  

Sam’s strong sense of community and passion about her work does not go unnoticed by her team and the community she serves. She is known for going above and beyond on the job, taking every step she can to ensure clients are receiving the services they need.  

“Her decades of service reflect not only her expertise, but her passion for helping others,” said Rosalind Connell, Lowcountry Lead WIC Administrative Coordinator. “She takes the job personally. It's not just a job for her. I listen to her as she talks about reaching out to WIC participants and she really goes the extra mile.”

Being a long-time member of the Holly Hill community, Sam’s work has spanned generations. She remembers serving the parents and even grandparents of some of DPH’s current clients, giving her a personal connection to the families she is working with. She takes significant pride in supporting the next generation of the Holly Hill community she holds so dearly.

Sam’s dedication to the community is reflected in her fellow WIC staff at the Holly Hill Health Department. The team has worked together to grow participation at the clinic.  

Sam is continuously invested in the number of participants served by the WIC program, aiming to reach more eligible people in the community at every step. When remote WIC services were first implemented in March 2020, the Holly Hill site was serving 443 participants. In February 2026, they served 731 participants, and in some months, the site provided services to more than 1,000 WIC participants.  

The overall growth in participants has been spurred by active participation in community events among Holly Hill’s staff, spreading the word about WIC and encouraging more families to take advantage of the program — an effort Sam takes a particular interest in. 

“Ms. Sam is committed to serving her community and consistently provides support to the families who rely on WIC services,” said Rosalind. “Her dedication is especially evident at outreach events, where she takes pride in connecting with community members, sharing resources, and ensuring everyone feels welcomed and supported.”

As Sam’s long-time connection to Holly Hill makes her a trusted voice in the community, her years of service at DPH make her extremely knowledgeable and major help to her team.  

“She's able to mentor others and provide her experience,” said Kristin Pillion, Lowcountry WIC Program Manager. “She's a great team player in that aspect.”  

When Sam started at the Holly Hill Health Department, she was handwriting WIC vouchers for clients. She was there as the agency made the transition to paper vouchers being printed and again when they went electronic.

A nearly five-decade career at DPH means Sam has experienced a great deal of change, not only to her daily duties, but in leadership and the agency as a whole. Sam has taken pride in keeping up with those changes and is always happy to share her past experiences with coworkers, letting them know that while things may change, the vital work they do remains the same.  

“Her years of service have allowed her to be part of many changes, big and small, within the agency, and she has adjusted as needed through all of them to continue to serve the public of South Carolina,” Lauren said.