Before becoming the 2021 Arkansas Teacher of the Year, Susanna taught math and business courses in grades 7 through 12 at Belle Point, the alternative high school in Fort Smith. Following her sabbatical year as ATOY, she worked as the district’s secondary math coordinator. Susanna now serves as Assistant Principal at Southside High School.
As a nontraditional educator, Susanna attributes much of her classroom success to her 12 years of business experience and thinks this led her to favor project-based learning. She believes that relationships foster student success and strives to connect students with content in a meaningful way. This passion led her to create her platform, Closing the Empathy Gap. Susanna is currently researching secondary students' perspectives of teacher empathy in pursuit of a Doctor of Education in Educational Administration and Leadership from Walden University. Susanna holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics with a minor in Computer Science from the University of Arkansas, a Master of Arts in Teaching from the University of Central Arkansas, and a Master of Education in Rural and Urban School Leadership from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
Susanna's love for education is second only to her love for God and family. She has been married to her best friend Frankie for 22 years. They have three children - Hayden (16), Hallie (14), and Harper (9) - and two doodles named Huckleberry and Honey. Susanna spends her free time camping, hiking, reading, hanging out with family, and volunteering at her church.