Her Story
About Samantha
Samantha Kauser is an Executive Assistant and Event Planner based in San Francisco, California, with a strong background in executive support, operations, and event management. She currently serves as an Executive Assistant at Fictiv, where she supports leadership teams through strategic coordination, organization, and administrative excellence. Throughout her career, Samantha has partnered with executives at innovative technology companies, including Snowflake, Streamlit, and Sigma Computing, gaining valuable experience supporting fast-paced organizations and senior leaders.
With a career built on adaptability, continuous learning, and strong executive partnerships, Samantha has developed a reputation for anticipating needs, managing complex priorities, and building effective working relationships. She believes that success comes from understanding different leadership styles, creating strong team dynamics, and remaining open to new challenges and opportunities for growth. Her ability to connect with an organization’s mission and contribute meaningfully to its goals has been a driving force throughout her professional journey.
Beyond her executive support career, Samantha is the founder of Celebrations By Samantha, where she provides wedding planning and event coordination services that bring creativity, organization, and attention to detail to life’s most meaningful moments. She is also passionate about giving back to her community through volunteer work with Muttville Senior Dog Rescue. A graduate of the University of California, Davis, Samantha values service, creativity, and genuine human connection, and she continues to inspire others by embracing opportunities to support, lead, and make a positive impact.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Samantha
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to staying adaptable and always being willing to learn. Every new role and challenge has been an opportunity to grow, and I believe that maintaining a positive, flexible mindset has helped me navigate change successfully. I also believe that building a strong partnership starts with understanding an executive's unique working style. When you take the time to align communication, expectations, and goals, you create a collaborative team that can accomplish great things together.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
One of the best career lessons I've ever received is to believe in the mission behind the work you do. When you're connected to an organization's purpose, your daily responsibilities become part of something much bigger than yourself. I've found that having passion for the mission fuels perseverance and makes even the most challenging days meaningful and rewarding.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
The most important thing is to join a team or an organization in a space about which they're passionate, because work is always going to be work, but if you're bought into what your team or company is doing, that makes it so much easier to stay engaged and excited about your work.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in the administrative profession today is the limited access to formal mentorship and clearly defined career pathways. While administrative professionals often gain valuable insight into leadership, strategy, and business operations through their roles, organizations do not always provide the development opportunities needed to help them advance and grow.
At the same time, I see tremendous opportunities for women to build impactful and rewarding careers. Administrative professionals bring highly transferable skills, including organization, communication, strategic thinking, and executive partnership, that are essential across many industries. By seeking mentorship, staying adaptable, and aligning themselves with organizations whose missions they believe in, women can transform administrative roles into powerful pathways for leadership, growth, and long-term impact.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that are most important to me in both my work and personal life are service, creativity, and genuine human connection. I believe the most meaningful experiences come from making a positive impact on others, whether that is by supporting leaders in my professional role, helping bring special moments to life through wedding planning, or giving back to my community.
Creativity allows me to approach challenges with fresh perspectives and bring care and attention to everything I do. Outside of work, I enjoy cooking, attending live music events, and spending quality time with family and friends—activities that keep me inspired, balanced, and connected to the people around me. I am also passionate about serving others through my volunteer work with Muttville Senior Dog Rescue, where I support the adoption and care of senior dogs. Whether I am helping others professionally, celebrating life’s milestones, or contributing to my community, I strive to lead with kindness, enthusiasm, and a genuine desire to make a difference.
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