Samantha Brown

Samantha Brown is a software engineer and co-founder of Suzanne 3D, a browser-based AI 3D modeling platform, based in New York City. She graduated from SUNY Oswego in December 2025 with a double major in computer science and interaction design, earning a 3.80 GPA magna cum laude.³ In March 2026, she co-founded Suzanne 3D with Yehor Ivanenko as part of the Canopy Spring 2026 cohort at Founders, Inc.¹

Education

Brown enrolled at SUNY Oswego in August 2022, double majoring in interaction design and computer science.¹ Before arriving, she had completed 60 dual enrollment credits through Mohawk Valley Community College while in high school, earning a 4.0 GPA on that coursework, which allowed her to enter Oswego with most general education requirements already satisfied.³ She graduated in December 2025, a semester ahead of the standard four-year schedule.³

At Oswego, she received the Jessie E. and Jay D. Rudolph Scholarship and worked as a student admissions ambassador from February 2023 to January 2026.¹³ She covered her full college costs through scholarships, on-campus employment, and internship income, graduating without student debt.³ "My parents didn't pay any of my college expenses," she told SUNY Oswego in March 2026. "I didn't have a secret advantage. I just learned graduating without debt was more doable than people often think."³

Brown led several student organizations at Oswego. She was president of the Human-Computer Interaction Organization, vice president of the Computer Science Association, treasurer of Women in Computing, and a member of the Vega Women's Academic Honor Society.¹³ She also worked as a graphic and UX design intern at Pioneer from May to October 2023, contributing to social media branding, investor presentation design, and application UX prototypes.¹

Hackathon career

Brown began competing in hackathons during her time at SUNY Oswego and won five awards across national events, attending competitions at Johns Hopkins University, Cornell University, the University of Maryland, Georgetown University, Princeton University, the University of California Berkeley (CalHacks 12.0), and HenHacks.³²

At Bitcamp (University of Maryland) in April 2025, her project AirWaves won Best Gamified Hack.² At HoyaHacks (Georgetown University), LetsHelp placed second overall and won the Gemini Track.⁸

At Cornell University's BigRed//Hacks in September 2025, Brown joined a team she met on the first day of the competition. Together they built Bear Escape, a browser-based 3D rhythm game in which users upload songs, AI generates playable tracks, and players perform using a keyboard or Guitar Hero controller.⁴ The project won two awards: Best Use of Gemini API, sponsored by Major League Hacking, and Cornell's Best Design award.⁴ "That win meant a lot to me," Brown said. "It was proof that my art and design skills can make a real impact in computer science projects."⁴

On September 12–14, 2025, Brown competed at HopHacks, the 36-hour annual hackathon at Johns Hopkins University, alongside teammates Landon Rusco, Joseph Vega, and Aditya Singh.⁴ The team built Beat Boxing, a browser-based rhythm and boxing game that used machine learning and webcam motion tracking to register player punches in time with on-screen notes.⁶ Beat Boxing placed third overall and won in the Data and Gaming track, earning a $256 prize, competing against teams from schools including MIT and Columbia.⁴⁶

In November 2025, Brown competed at HackPrinceton at Princeton University, where she first built Suzanne, the AI 3D modeling tool she would later develop into a company.²

LakerHacks

In January 2025, Brown founded LakerHacks, SUNY Oswego's first student-run annual hackathon, serving as its director, designer, and lead event coordinator.¹⁵ She designed the full visual identity and managed event logistics through 50 days of intensive planning, securing seven sponsors.⁵ The inaugural event, held in spring 2025, drew approximately 75 participants.⁵ A second edition was planned for April 11, 2026, with a goal of joining the Major League Hacking circuit to access national sponsors including Google and MongoDB.⁴

Suzanne 3D

In March 2026, Brown co-founded Suzanne 3D with Yehor Ivanenko, entering the Canopy Spring 2026 cohort at Founders, Inc., the Fort Mason-based venture program in San Francisco.¹ Suzanne is an AI-native, browser-based 3D modeling tool that generates editable 3D models from text descriptions, uploaded photos, or spoken voice input, with no software installation required.⁷ As of April 2026, the product was in beta, with support for conversational mesh editing, parametric sliders, and a full in-browser 3D editor.⁷

Professional work

Brown joined Sicura, a compliance automation software company, as a software engineering intern in June 2025.¹ She built Angular UI features for the Sicura Console, improving usability of compliance workflows covering CIS Benchmarks, DISA STIGs, and NIST controls.¹ She was promoted to associate software engineer in January 2026 upon graduating from SUNY Oswego, relocating to New York City for the full-time role.³¹ "Making the big move to New York City right after graduation would have felt overwhelming if I had student loan debt," she said in March 2026. "Because I graduated debt-free, I could focus on my career, the experience and the opportunities ahead."³

In January 2026, Brown became a coach at Major League Hacking (MLH), traveling to hackathons across the country to support student builders on-site.¹ She creates content on Instagram under the handle @sam.jeanne.b, focused on productivity and breaking into tech, reaching more than 18,000 followers as of April 2026.¹

References

1. Samantha J. Brown — LinkedIn Profile(accessed Apr 24, 2026)
2. Samantha J. Brown | Software Engineer(accessed Apr 24, 2026)
3. Graduating debt-free and building a future in tech — SUNY Oswego(accessed Apr 24, 2026)
4. LakerHacks earns top finishes in Johns Hopkins, Cornell University hackathons — SUNY Oswego(accessed Apr 24, 2026)
5. LakerHacks provides learning opportunity with plans for future growth — SUNY Oswego(accessed Apr 24, 2026)
6. HopHacks 2025 = Ambition + AI — Johns Hopkins University(accessed Apr 24, 2026)
7. Suzanne — 3D modeling at the speed of thought(accessed Apr 24, 2026)
8. SamanthaJeanneb — GitHub(accessed Apr 24, 2026)