A long-time faculty member, she taught in Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) in Texas before becoming an academic dean and later the founding Assistant Vice President for Teaching and Learning for the Ivy Tech Community College system. In the latter role, she worked with campuses to develop instructional priorities, as well as faculty development capacity and leadership training to support Ivy Tech’s new strategic plan. Having begun her own college career as a community college student, she is deeply committed to building resilient and thriving communities by expanding educational access and completion. Suzanne holds a Ph.D. in U.S. and Latin American History from the University of Texas at Austin and has served as an American Council on Education Fellow.