On Wednesday, March 30th, 2022, Samantha Els, better known as Sam, was awarded the Autism Science Foundation’s (ASF) Caryn Schwartzman Spirit Award. The ASF is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and funding innovative autism research. The Caryn Schwartzman Spirit Award recognizes outstanding advocacy by a family member of a person with autism. The award was presented at the ninth annual “Day of Learning” at the New York Athletic Club, and virtually from across the globe.
Sam is an agent of change worldwide for siblings of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). She is the Ambassador and moderator of Sam’s Sibs Stick Together, a webinar series sponsored by Els for Autism ® and the Autism Science Foundation. Through her own experiences as a sibling of an individual with autism, Sam helps shine a light on the importance of sibling research and support.
