Jason Samel

Jason Samel (born June 28, 1977) is an American music producer, yoga instructor, health insurance consultant, and social activist.^[1][2] He is known as the executive producer of the benefit compilation Occupy This Album, producer of the environmental release Buy This Fracking Album and director of the final full-scale Clearwater Festival. He is also a longtime Affordable Care Act consultant in New York and the founder of Buddha Jams Yoga and the Long Island Yoga Festival.^[3]

Jason Samel
Born	(1977-06-28) June 28, 1977 (age 48) Smithtown, New York
Citizenship	American
Education	Stony Brook University, BS
Occupation(s)	Social activist, yogi, musician, insurance, veterinary medicine
Website	jasonsamel.com

Biography

Early life and advocacy

Samel was born on June 28, 1977, in Smithtown, New York. He attended The Summit School in Nyack, New York, during the early 1990s.^[4] In a 2021 interview, he said that he and other students were mistreated at the school. He later created a Facebook group called “The Summit School Exposed” to share those experiences and connect with other former students. He received a BS in sociology from Stony Brook University in 2001.^[5]

Career

Music production and activism

In 2012, Samel was the executive producer of Occupy This Album, a four-disc benefit album supporting the Occupy Wall Street movement. It included 99 songs by artists such as Jackson Browne, Ani DiFranco, Yoko Ono, Michael Moore, Tom Morello, Immortal Technique, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and Thievery Corporation.^[6][7] Michael Moore’s version of Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are A-Changin’” was part of the album. It was released by Razor & Tie and won the Independent Music Award for Best Compilation Album.^[1][8]

In 2015, Samel produced Buy This Fracking Album, a compilation focused on the environmental and health effects of hydraulic fracturing. It was released by his label, Movement Music Records, and included songs by Bonnie Raitt, Michael Franti, Indigo Girls, Natalie Merchant, Tom Chapin, Marco Benevento, and Rusted Root.^[9]

In 2019, Samel was the executive director and producer of the Clearwater Festival, also called The Great Hudson River Revival. Pete Seeger initiated the event. The 2019 festival featured performances by Mavis Staples, Immortal Technique, The Wailers, Railroad Earth, Ani DiFranco, and Tom Paxton. It was the last full version of the festival.^[10]

Healthcare advocacy and media

Samel is involved in healthcare advocacy related to the Affordable Care Act (ACA). He is the founder of newyorkobamacare.com and longislandobamacare.com, websites that offer enrollment assistance and guidance for individuals navigating the ACA marketplace.^[11]

His work has been cited in publications such as Crain’s New York Business, Long Island Business News, and Insurance Business America. He has also provided commentary on healthcare reform for media outlets, including Fox News, News 12, WPIX, Al Jazeera, and RT TV.^[12][13]

Writing

Samel is also a writer. He has written opinion pieces, essays, and articles on a wide range of topics, including politics, healthcare, music, and activism. His writing has appeared in both online and print publications. He has also participated in interviews related to his work in music production, advocacy, and health care.

Yoga and wellness

In 2022, Samel established Buddha Jams Yoga, a yoga studio located in Glen Cove, New York.^[14] The studio offers yoga classes, live music yoga sessions, and community-based healing events. In 2024, he organized the first Long Island Yoga Festival, an event that the Long Island Press covered.^{[15][3][16][2]}