Samantha Coogan joined the Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition Sciences (KNS) in Fall 2014 as a part-time instructor. Two years later, she increased her teaching load as a Visiting Lecturer. She is now a Senior Lecturer within the KNS Department and serves as the Director for the Didactic Program in Nutrition and Dietetics (DPND) and Undergraduate Coordinator for Kinesiology and Nutrition Sciences.

Coogan teaches human nutrition, sports nutrition, nutrition, health & ethnic issues, nutrition assessment, and medical nutrition therapy (MNT) within the B.S. in Nutrition Sciences undergraduate program. She has also taught in the areas of food science, lifecycle nutrition, and community nutrition.

Coogan earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Nutrition Sciences and Master of Science in Exercise Physiology from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She has been a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist since 2014 (licensed in NV).

Coogan is a Fellow of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, is a Past President of the Nevada Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (NvAND), and is an active member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Nevada Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and Nutrition and Dietetic Educators and Preceptors practice group.

In 2019, she won the Nevada Emerging Dietetic Leader of the Year Award, and was then featured in the Opening Session of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo (FNCE) 2019 for her role as program director and passion for creating confidence in her students to become future leaders of the profession.

Coogan later received the 2020 UNLV Academic Assessment (Individual) Award for her dedication to meaningful and sustainable academic assessment data tracking and reporting efforts. She is also the 2023 Nevada Recognized Young Dietitian of the Year (RYDY) recipient for her contributions to the Las Vegas community, leadership in education and career guidance, and participation in the dietetics profession at the state and national levels.