Nola Pastor, Violence Prevention Specialist, University of Wisconsin, Madison

“I am grateful for the opportunity to have worked with Suzanne for three years as a student employee in the Sustainability Office at Macalester. As an alumni now working within higher education, I am even more appreciative of the systems-level change work she led with such perseverance and clarity of vision in this role. The kind of achievements Mac manifested related to sustainability were incredibly impressive, and that can be traced directly to Suzanne’s purposeful leadership. There are so many challenges in this field, and it is remarkable that she was able to build the kind of relationships and momentum needed to manifest powerful action. Her understanding of the work was also holistic – creating partnerships around social justice and health and wellbeing, for example – and she was very willing to let student staff take leadership over their own projects. I am proud of the work I did in this position, and that has a lot to do with Suzanne creating a context where sustainability efforts felt doable and meaningful, and where change was visibly happening at multiple levels of the social ecology. I’m grateful for her work, past and future – we need visionary leadership in this area now more than ever.”

Dr. Kelly MacGregor, Geology Professor, Macalester College

“Suzanne has done fantastic work as the Sustainability Manager, particularly working with Facilities, students, faculty, and alumni on institutional goals around sustainable practices, waste and energy reduction, and stormwater runoff. I worked with her on several class projects related to engaging students in stormwater calculations, and she has great insights, is a keen listener, and is upbeat about her work. She is fantastic!”

Gordon Moore, Research Assistant, Blue Green Alliance Foundation

“In her time as Macalester’s Sustainability Manager, Suzanne has been a uniquely effective linchpin in the school’s ongoing sustainability initiatives and has played a critical role in developing Mac’s institutional climate, waste, and other goals. Her passion, expertise, and dedication have been crucial to making Macalester a more sustainable institution. While working under Suzanne in the Sustainability Office, I saw firsthand her ability to support and direct a myriad of student-led projects, while overseeing larger campus initiatives from composting to the greenhouse gas inventory.

Suzanne cares deeply about everyone she works with, and takes the time to know them as individuals. As a professor and supervisor to me, it was in large part her guidance and support that led me to pursue my many sustainability and environmentally-related interest in college, which has led me to my current career.”

Dr. Chris Wells, Environmental Studies Professor, Mccalester College

“In her dozen years as the Sustainability Manager at Macalester College, Suzanne has helped the campus make dramatic advances in sustainability organized around an aggressive sustainability plan. During her tenure, for example, the campus has reduced its carbon emissions by more than a third (and saved some $3.3 million in the process). Under her leadership we have also made great strides towards increasing the amount of local, organic, humane, and fair trade food served on campus even as we are on the verge of meeting the aggressive zero waste goal of diverting 90% of the campus’s waste from landfills. Suzanne has built a robust Student Sustainability Network, collaborated with staff from across the college to advance sustainability goals, and worked with faculty to incorporate sustainability into their courses (while teaching her own). Her efforts in the latter area include treating the campus itself as a Living Laboratory where it is possible to study sustainability in action, and collecting and sharing reams of data for classes to analyze and interpret. In short, she is a skilled planner and a deeply knowledgeable sustainability professional who has helped Macalester make substantial sustainability advancements.”

Tamara Will, Sustainability Strategist

“Suzanne’s depth and breadth of knowledge in the field of Sustainability is extraordinary. She eagerly shares her knowledge and applies her considerable skills toward making a measurable difference in our biological, social, and economic ecosystems. Suzanne is forward-thinking, open-minded, innovative, and above all she is pragmatic. She designs and executes initiatives with impact as her goal. She is adept at translating complex data and issues into forms that are understandable and relatable. As my superior in Macalester College’s Sustainability Office I found her to be supportive, kind, and collaborative. She builds strong, productive relationships built on mutual respect and compassion. She’s the real deal.”