In 2006 Susanne wrote an article on the Center for Intentional Leadership (then Whitehead Associates Inc) for a local business magazine interested in its unique approach to leadership. The publisher shared that the organization delivered a unique and personal approach to leadership that was being widely embraced by top leaders in the region.
Having interviewed many of these leaders, she undertook the assignment with both curiosity and tenacity. The principles and practices of intentionality paralleled her personal interests in philosophy, linguistics and human behavior and she joined the firm as a communications advisor. Since that time, these qualities have become a hallmark of her work at the Center as practice manager, senior consultant and executive communications strategist.
Susanne is self-professed language geek and bookworm. She justifies spending much of her time reading as source inspiration for developing content and design for client engagements. She is excellent at sourcing books, articles, quotes and content, though admittedly much less excellent reciting them verbatim. She brings a concentration in communication to the Center’s programs, advising senior executives on developing genuine, clear and effective communications to their teams. Her background prior to joining the center was communications consulting, branding strategy and marketing communications, skills she utilizes in platform design for those seeking an enhanced vision and new way of sharing their vision. She writes books, articles, thought papers and position statements for leaders, as well as coaches them on developing their intentionality in communications. Susanne co-designed many of the Center’s signature programs over the years and has a developed a special commitment to leaders who are both gifted with and challenged by deep empathy and compassion. She also has a knack for locating the intersections between business strategy, design thinking and the operations of CFIL’s deeply committed and creative consultancy.
Susanne raised her two adult children as free thinkers and free spirits, who are doing an amazing job creating their own space in the world. After deciding in 2018 to get “back to the country” she spends much of her time walking with her black lab in the woods or in the pastures of her home in Rock Hill, SC. Susanne has particular ideas about what could make the world a better place and spends the better part of her waking hours doing her best to bring them to fruition.
