Supporting a diverse network of leaders across the world who are committed to advancing racial equity in arts and culture and making an impact in their community.
Suzan E. Jenkins is a CEO, advocate, leadership coach and strategic consultant. Suzan’s expertise is in leading teams and spearheading organizational and programmatic development in the national and international arts and culture sector.
A New York native, Suzan’s deep understanding of critical and complex cultural norms, is informed by her upbringing in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Suzan’s vast professional experiences – in the performing and visual arts, retail, banking, the recording industry, the federal government and higher education – inform her keen interests at the intersection of business, innovation, equity and impact.
A critical voice in the movement towards operationalizing racial equity in the arts and culture sector throughout many facets of her career, Suzan’s advocacy work in the music industry towards royalty-reform, her work in the development and implementation of Racial Equity Principles at National Arts Strategies and her work as a member of the Remembrance and Reconciliation Commission in her community bolsters this commitment. Suzan is dedicated to anti-racist work that is both organizationally and individually bound.
Suzan’s education includes Harvard Business School’s Chief Executive Program: Community and Culture; University of Michigan’s Ross Business School; Certification in Leadership and Team Effectiveness from the National Leadership Institute; a BS in Psychology and an MBA from the University of Maryland.
As leaders, we are always searching for ways to strategically problem solve and forge new ground. If you are a race-conscious leader grappling with current issues in multinational, multicultural settings, let’s talk. Contact Suzan at coachsuzanj at gmail.com for a complimentary exploratory session.
“Suzan’s spot-on coaching opened new doors for me in every meeting. With Suzan as coach, I discovered new approaches to onboarding BIPOC committee members, strategizing public advocacy efforts, and strengthening my internal capacity in our ongoing racial equity work. Suzan’s coaching style was a perfect fit, and made for truly enjoyable sessions!” Karen Ristuben, Program Director, Creative County Initiative, Essex County Community Foundation
“I have never had a professional coach before and the experience was life-changing. My coach was incisive and also challenged me in all the right ways. I came out of our sessions with tools that I will be able to use throughout my career and I can’t thank her or NAS enough for this experience.” Roberta Pereira, Client, Producing Director, The Playwrights Realm
“Working with Suzan was hugely impactful. When we started the process, I was coming out of a toxic Board situation, and heading into a pandemic. I was also dealing with some challenges with my staff. Since January 2020, I have recruited four new (fantastic) Board members, replaced my bookkeeper with a Finance Manager that is helping taking a huge load off of me, started the hiring process for a new Development team member, and best of all…stayed in the black. All while maintaining sanity. The thinking tools Suzan provided and the perspective she encouraged are a large part of that.” Chandra Stephens-Albright, Managing Director, Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre Company