Her expertise lies in using research to generate breakthrough insights. She became an advocate of using a human-centered, multidisciplinary approach to design during her fellowship with the d.school (The Hasso Plattner Institute of Design) at Stanford, where she both taught and practiced design thinking methodologies such as empathic research and experience prototyping. Previous to helping start the Stanford d.school, she received her Master’s from Stanford in Learning, Design, and Technology, a program that focuses on improving the development of technology-based products, settings, and social arrangements for learning.

Susan enjoys the collaborative spirit of her work, she thrives in environments where work can be smart, productive, creative and fun. She believes that good design creates products, services, interactions and experiences that not only satisfy a function or solve a problem, but that are also desirable, aspirational, compelling, and delightful.

A Bay Area native, Susan has resided between Napa, San Francisco and Palo Alto. She loves anything to do with food and cooking, from farmer’s markets to food carts to chef’s counters. She collects cookbooks, design books, as well as vintage film and photography equipment. She is also a founder of the non-profit San Francisco Film Museum.