Susan was born in Los Angeles, moved to the greater San Jose area as a child, and currently lives in Campbell. From a young age, Susan would often accompany her family to the local foothills to enjoy picnics, hiking, and spending time together outdoors. As a young adult she was involved with an outrigger canoe club and participation involved camping all along the California coast to attend events. This led to backpacking trips all over California which fostered her love for open space and sleeping in tents.
A former volunteer for Ronald McDonald House at Stanford, she was eventually hired at Stanford University where she worked for 15 years perfecting her purchasing skills. It was a fast-paced and dynamic environment that provided her with access to tuition reimbursement for higher education, enabling her to complete her Bachelor of Arts in Management and graduate from Golden Gate University. She eventually left Stanford to join a Bay Area robotics company where she continues to sharpen her skills, and where she became the founding member of the company’s Hispanic Employee Resource group.
Susan is an avid backpacker and enjoys photography – especially taking photos of wildflowers she finds on her adventures.