Susan has recently completed a masters program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. The focus of this program was on providing a new lens for highly qualified teacher-leaders to apply greater expertise, and demand greater results in bringing about a dramatic expansion of excellence within our schools and closing the achievement gap for marginalized children.She chose to return to graduate school because of her deep feeling of responsibility for contributing to quality education and services for underserved populations. This program has added an appreciable depth of expertise, thoughtfulness and preparedness as she pursues a career that focuses on social equity.

In addition to completing her Masters in Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, she worked in collaboration with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health on creating an inquiry-based curriculum for high school teens that measurably raised adolescent/young adult health literacy. This was an exciting project for her because it supported her interests in preventative health education and project development.

Currently, Susan Markush works as a consultant for the Massachusetts-based non-profit, Community Action, as the Health Advocate/Health Educator for the Head Start Program. In her position, Susan Markush supports the Health Office Manager by helping to ensure that all 600 Head Start children and their families enrolled, meet the health and nutrition objectives set forth in the Head Start Performance Standards.

In addition to her work with Community Action, Susan Markush formerly served as the Horseback Riding Program Director at the Lochearn Camp for Girls. Over a two-year period in this position, Susan Markush developed the camp’s entire English riding program. In developing the horseback riding program, Susan created a cross-country jumping course for beginners and hand-made professional grade stadium jumps. Susan Markush trained a riding instructor staff from all over the world ranging in size from 7 to 10 individuals. Susan Markush also oversaw the training of 20 horses which are leased from Pond Hill Ranch in Castleton Vermont every year. Through the program, Susan Markush either directly or indirectly taught riding to more than 200 riders per summer, ensuring the safe development of self-esteem and accomplishment in young girls.

Before transitioning into the non-profit sector, Susan Markush served as a licensed Physician Assistant specializing in emergency medicine. As a PA, Susan Markush worked independently with off-site supervision and was responsible for managing all emergency medicine needs for a small rural hospital. Susan Markush also managed patient care in the orthopedic clinic and the Hospital’s general surgery clinic. Susan Markush earned her degree as a Physician Assistant at Nova Southeastern University in Florida where she was on the Dean’s List all semesters during her two years of training. She is an avid reader with a particular interest in classic literature which was cultivated during her time as a student at Barnard College/Columbia University before pursuing a medical career. Her volunteer work has included working with after school programs like ‘one planet’ teaching children about health and nutrition, attending senior citizen centers to talk about health and to take blood pressures and working for “Cover’, a non-profit agency which works to help low income families repair their homes.