Before entering the public health arena, Susan worked for over 10 years as an educator at primary and secondary school levels in Barbados and the U.S. She decided to combine her two passions- teaching and health promotion- and become a health educator. She earned her master’s in health education from The University of Alabama at Birmingham. Go Blazers! Susan is a certified health education specialist (CHES). She also graduated from The University of the West Indies – Cave Hill Campus with a bachelor’s in Spanish language and literature.
Many have quipped, “What in the world brought her to Oklahoma? Who leaves Barbados to live in Oklahoma?” The short answer is she came via having lived in Florida and Alabama. The “long” answer is she came on an internship. After her internship at the Southern Plains Tribal Health Board ended, she was offered a job as a public health training coordinator with the Good Health and Wellness in Indian Country grant. She creates health resources, conducts trainings, and works fervently to raise awareness about health literacy. One of Susan’s professional goals is to help eliminate health disparities. Her professional motto is “Educated to Serve” and she counts it a privilege to serve the Native people of this country.
Susan enjoys traveling, nature, especially the ocean, and healthful living. For her, health promotion is not just a professional duty, it’s her lifestyle. And for the record, apart from the tough weather and earthquakes, she’s delighted to call Oklahoma home… away from home!
