Suzanne grew up in Buffalo, New York. Before earning a degree in international relations, she was an intelligence analyst with the US Marine Corps. Her work led her to question sources of conflict and approaches for its resolution. She later joined USIP, where, among other things, she digitized the database and brought voices from conflict zones into the public spotlight. Currently, she is the principal of La Biosfera Reserve & Retreat, a multidisciplinary educational center in the mountains of northern Nicaragua.