Meet the Founder: Susan Magsamen

As Senior Vice President of Early Learning at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Susan Magsamen focuses on HMH’s offering for the Pre-K space. A learning expert and award-winning writer and program architect, Susan is also founder of Curiosityville^®, an interactive personalized learning environment for children aged three to eight, which was acquired by HMH in May 2014.

With over 30 years’ experience in developing progressive learning programs rooted in academic research in arts, playful learning, creativity, family engagement and the science of learning. Susan is an active member of the brain sciences research community. She currently serves as a Senior Advisor to the Science of Learning Institute and the Brain Science Institute at Johns Hopkins University and executive director of the BSI Neuroasetheics Initiative, and Chair of the Center for Innovation and Leadership in Special Education at the Kennedy Krieger Institute. Susan is also an associate editor for the Science/Nature Science of Learning Journal.

Prior to founding Curiosityville in 2009, Susan co-founded The Johns Hopkins Neuro-Education Initiative, created to foster dialog among educators and researchers in the brain sciences. She was also Founder and CEO of FamilyStories and previously, Curiosity Kits—both award-winning learning resources based for families and children. 

Susan holds a Masters of Advanced Studies from Johns Hopkins University, and is a graduate of Towson and Sheppard Universities.  She serves on the boards of the Port Discovery Museum,  Arts Education in Maryland Schools (AEMS),The Learning Resource Network, the Ultimate Block Party, the Society for Neuroscience Communications and Dissemination Committee and National Geographic Society educational advisory board.