Susan has been a political activist for over 30 years, consulting with progressive candidates, pioneering networks to encourage women to run in Massachusetts, directing the Clearinghouse for Women Candidates at the Institute of Politics at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard, managing and consulting on campaigns.

Susan trained women candidates in Mexico and Guyana, and worked with nonprofits in Kosovo as a consultant for National Democratic Institute.

As executive director of WAND, Susan co-chairs Win Without War, and headed Project Abolition, as well as other national projects on arms control and disarmament. She was a consistent leader in implementation of the peace and security community initiative.

Susan is one of the 100 international panelists invited to speak at the Conference on World Affairs at the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Susan's efforts include chairing the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court case to equalize educational funding, founding with Congressman John Olver the progressive fiscal; policy analysis group the Mass. Budget and Policy Center, and serving as president of the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts and on the national board of directors of the League.

Susan also serves on the Advisory Board of Teen Voices magazine, the Mass. Women’s Political Caucus, and EMERGE Massachusetts.  She is a long time board member (and president) of the Ford Hall Forum, the longest running and oldest free speech public presentation organization in the country.

Susan was awarded the OMB Watch Public Interest Hall of Fame Award, the National Priorities Project Frances Crowe Award plus the NPP Hero Award, and New England Women in Cable Award for Outstanding Moderator for her cable public affairs television program, "The Front Page."