Meet Suz

My own path has wandered through many seasons of service. Since making North Carolina my home in 2000, I’ve been a social worker, law enforcement officer, EMT, paramedic, mental health counselor, addictions counselor, college instructor, and lifelong student. Each profession taught me the same enduring lesson: every voice matters, every story deserves to be heard, and truth is found by listening before speaking.

I’ve been blessed to earn degrees along the way, from Michigan State University to a doctorate in Adult Education, but the diplomas are only mile markers. The real education has come from walking beside people during the hardest moments of their lives and learning that compassion, curiosity, and integrity are the foundations of meaningful public service.

More than anything else, I am grateful for my family, my son, my wonderful daughter-in-law, and my six incredible grandchildren. They remind me why communities matter and why the work of preserving honest, local journalism is worth every early morning meeting and every late-night article.