Staff: Samantha Gladwell

Sam is originally from Southern California and has worked with children for over 15 years. She earned her B.A. in Liberal Arts from the University of San Diego and has M.Ed. degrees in Teacher Leadership and Educational Administration. Sam spent a decade as an elementary educator building relationships with students, collaborating with colleagues, and honing her teaching skills. Along the way, she discovered a passion for leadership while serving in the roles of school board member, assistant principal, and district program coordinator. Most recently, Sam worked to strengthen the English as a Second Language program at her school and create a welcoming, supportive environment for multilingual students and their families.

Outside of the office, Sam enjoys spending time with her husband, Dan, and their dog, Alamo. You can often find the three of them splashing around in the pool, watching a favorite TV series, or visiting a local restaurant. Sam’s other interests include reading, dabbling in artistic pursuits, spoiling her two adorable nephews, and singing Broadway show tunes.

Sam loves to help organizations create effective systems to support their mission, and she is thrilled to bring her skills to the team at Friends of the Children.