Samantha Rosthauser, M.Ed.
Samantha Rosthauser, M.Ed. is a nonprofit leader, educator, and advocate dedicated to supporting children with disabilities and empowering the families who care for them. With more than 18 years of experience in early childhood special education, she currently serves as Director of Community and Family Engagement at Elwyn, where she oversees programs that guide thousands of children and families through early intervention, preschool, and school-age transitions. Her work emphasizes ensuring families have access to critical resources, information, and community support to make informed decisions for their children.
Rosthauser’s commitment to special education is both professional and deeply personal. Inspired by her brother, who has special needs and a hearing impairment, she began working with children during high school in childcare and preschool settings. She later became a general education teacher before transitioning into special education, where she discovered a passion for supporting students with diverse learning needs and coaching fellow educators. During her postgraduate studies in advanced special education with an autism endorsement, her perspective was further shaped when her son was diagnosed with autism, giving her a unique understanding of the challenges and opportunities families face within educational and support systems.
In her leadership role, Rosthauser oversees major transition initiatives that support thousands of children moving from early intervention programs into preschool and kindergarten each year. She also leads Elwyn’s Family Resource Center, which provides training, toolkits, and emergency assistance to families facing challenges such as food insecurity, clothing shortages, and housing instability. Beyond her professional work, she remains actively involved in the community through advisory and volunteer roles with organizations focused on children’s health, family support, and educational advocacy. Through every aspect of her career, Rosthauser remains committed to strengthening the connection between schools, families, and communities so that every child has the opportunity to thrive.
• Direct Support Professional Specialist in Mentoring and Supervision (DSP)
• School Principal And Supervisor
• Autism Endorsement
• Instructional 2: Special Education PreK-8
• Instructional 2: Early Childhood Education/ Primary K-4
• Holy Family University - MEd
• Make a Difference Award
• Outstanding educator award
• Parent Advisor for Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)
• Philadelphia Interagency Coordinating Council
• Local Task Force member
• Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)
• Cradles to Crayons
• Hayden House Healing (former Angel Mom Ambassador and board member)
• Community and Family Engagement, HeartWorks
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to the community of families and educators I have worked with, the partnerships and lived experiences that have shaped my practice, and the mentors who recognized my strengths and invested in my growth.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve received is the importance of finding mentors who are supportive, knowledgeable, and truly invested in your success. The mentors who made the greatest impact on me took the time to understand my strengths and encouraged me to pursue opportunities that aligned with them.
Rather than focusing on weaknesses, they helped me recognize what I was naturally good at and passionate about. Their guidance taught me that when you nurture your strengths and align them with your passions, you create a path for meaningful and lasting success.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering this industry is to take time to listen, observe, and absorb as much as you can. Every environment you enter—whether it’s a classroom, a conference, a training session, or even a conversation with a colleague, child, or parent—holds valuable knowledge and experience.
Stay open and willing to learn from everyone you meet. Every interaction is an opportunity to gain insight, grow, and deepen your understanding of the work you do.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in our field right now is staffing. There is a national shortage of teachers and therapists, and each of these roles is a critical part of the work we do. When key pieces of that support system are limited, it can create real barriers to providing the level of service we strive for.
Another challenge is finding the time to accomplish everything we want to do. There is so much important work ahead, and the instinct is often to move as quickly as possible. However, it’s essential to pace ourselves—taking the time to build thoughtfully so we can sustain progress and achieve meaningful, lasting impact.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me are empowering families, serving the community, and staying committed to mission-driven work. I also value credibility and accountability, strengthened through the trust we build and recognition of the work we do.