Laurie Samaan is with GiGi’s Playhouse Simi Valley, a Down syndrome achievement center, where she serves on the Board as chair of the Community & Family Outreach committee and Hiring committee, and is a contributing member of the Facilities, Board Governance, and Events committees. Laurie was one of 12 moms on the initial start-up team who in 2019 began the process to bring GiGi’s Playhouse to our community. 

When Laurie found out her daughter, Sophie, would be born with Down syndrome, she was determined to create a world for her daughter that would be accepting and inclusive by changing the way Down syndrome is viewed.