Suzanne brings 18+ years of experience supporting student success – developing culturally appropriate strength-based client relationships, utilizing a trauma-informed lens, supporting parent-school relations, and leadership development for BIPOC, Migrant, LGBTQ+, and neurodiverse students. She has had the pleasure of partnering with agencies such as PPS, Multnomah County Juvenile Court, MESD, APANO, IRCO, SEI, NAYA and El Programa Hispano as well as district, county and neighborhood nonprofits.
Suzanne has experience supporting English language and literacy acquisition in pre-K through adult education settings. She received training in ESOL at PSU, SIOP and GLAD instruction at PPS, as well as a visual approach to language development through the Apricot Center in Portland, and 10+ years of on-the-job training in Montessori education.
Her B.S in Anthropology and Ethnic Studies minor from Santa Clara support her passion for cultural learning experiences. She has served on the board of Frente Comun in North Portland and the Russian Speaking Youth Leadership Conference in the metro area.
Bilingual in Spanish/English, conversational in Mandarin and dabbling in several other languages – Slovenian, Korean, Ukrainian, French, Russian, Japanese – Suzanne, and her two teen daughters love language learning
She returned to her childhood home in Damascus to raise her two daughters on their edible acre where they can be found gardening, herding ducks, dancing ballet folklorico, Nuno felting, listening to Kpop and baking potica.
