The picture that changed my life........................................

This toddler might have been my own toddler the day of the Oklahoma bombing on April 19, 1995....this baby's mama didn't know when she left her at 'school' that morning that it would be the last time she held her baby.....As I sat in my living-room with tears streaming down my face holding my own precious bundle, I felt a change in my soul. Life became more important than work...and my work in fundraising would become about philanthropy and meaning, not just money.

 I became more of a wife and mother and daughter and less of a worker...and I brought a new outlook to understanding my role of offering people an opportunity to make a difference in the world by using their resources and energy in a positive way. I developed an understanding of the power of philanthropy...............I dedicate my work to this precious soul, Baylee Almon.

Susan's Bio

Susan has thirty years of experience working with nonprofits and donors, professional advisors and individuals who care about the world. She specializes in strategic thinking and teaches prosperity consciousness that helps others create purposeful connections in areas of deep and abiding interest. Susan helps people cross the bridge from how they want to be remembered to how they will be remembered, with a meaningful and lasting legacy.

As a speaker she is passionate and motivating and without fail, after every program there are people who come up to thank her for inspiring them to take some action about something that has been on their mind. When the subject is philanthropy and creating positive change in our world, no audience is too small or too large for Susan; she's happiest when she feels a crowds energy coming along with her on the magic carpet ride during her presentations.

As a Philanthropy Advisor, she inspires people to understand their life’s experience and purpose and helps to transform that purpose into a philanthropic passion and plan.

Susan offers another service line, Confident Fundraising, a fundraising coaching business to teach, guide and help nonprofit leaders get and stay on track towards higher income goals. Her specialty is personal fundraising coaching to help nonprofit CEOs and college deans learn how to solicit--overcoming the fear of asking, and help them attain ambitious goals that include building life-long loyal donor corps for worthy organizations.

Being a donor and volunteer herself has provided a personal perspective and insight for her work with individuals and charitable organizations. She is a pro bono strategic advisor to Jewish Girls Unite and has worked with the CEO to help conceptualize this global movement which serves her own passionate philanthropic commitment of helping Jewish daughters become Jewish mothers. For 18 years she has been an advisor to the CEO of the Vascular Birthmarks Foundation which has networked 75,000 people into treatment. Susan is past president of her congregation and has been on the executive committee for 14 years.

Susan is amazed and thrilled to still be married to her college sweetheart and has two daughters whom she adores and of whom she is exceptionally proud. She lives in the Capital Region of NY and is a proud alumna of Mount Holyoke College.