Learn more about ADL Regional Board Member Susie Moss, her passion for Colorado’s great outdoors and her work for several outstanding community organizations, including ADL.

 

How did you first become involved in ADL? How are you involved now?

I first became involved in ADL over the years attending events, specifically the Governor’s Holocaust Remembrance Program.  My father-in-law is a Holocaust survivor and this public event and the diversity of attendance blew me away.  In the last couple of years, I was drawn to the No Place for Hate® initiative and Celebration Breakfast, co-chaired the event last year, and have now become a regional board member.

 

What do you do in your professional life?

I am an Advancement Manager on the Development Team at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science.

 

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I never really thought about what I wanted to be when I grew up when I was a kid, but I became fascinated with advertising and consumer behavior.  After graduating from college and trying to pursue a career in advertising, it became clear that sales and development were my passions.

 

Where were you born? From where do your ancestors hail?

I was born in Cincinnati, Ohio and made my way to Colorado for school and never left.  My ancestors hail from Germany, Russia and Spain.

 

What’s your favorite holiday?

I love all the holidays, but my favorite is Passover.  I love being around the table with family, eating foods that actually tell the story and reflecting on our heritage and how it continues to influence my life into the future.

 

What’s your favorite food?

Chocolate!  Is there anything else?

 

What are you reading?

“Becoming” by Michele Obama and “Leonardo da Vinci” by Walter Isaacson.

 

What’s a special place you have visited?

Shwayder Camp!  I have traveled to many interesting, inspirational, beautiful and peaceful places, but my happy place is Shwayder Camp.

 

What’s one thing every person should know or experience?

Being outdoors – hiking, camping, skiing are all great, but my favorite outdoor activity is fly fishing.  The scenery is beautiful and breathtaking on the river, the fish are clever and it’s always fun to outsmart them, it takes focus and concentration and it’s God’s country!

 

What teacher or class stands out to you the most in your education and why?

My high school Latin teacher, Miss Hope.  She was kind of like a grandmother, but she taught me and my fellow students the importance of Latin as a foundation for language.  To this day I think about her and her wisdom along with her fantastic teaching style.

 

What are you passionate about personally? What can’t you stop talking about?

Recycling, composting and sustainability.  It’s amazing to me how much we waste and the impact that our actions have on the environment and our community.

 

Where can we find you when you’re not working?

Working on Family Promise at Temple Emanuel.  This nationwide program is about achieving high impact for people experiencing homelessness with fantastic results.  I’m proud to be a part of this important mitzvah project.  When not at Temple, you’ll find me on a ski slope or on a river with my family!

 

What would be impossible for you to give up?

Living in Colorado.  The mountains and the weather bring peace and balance to my life, not to mention my family, friends and community.

 

If you had to teach something, what would you teach?

How to create a worthwhile and supportive business network!

 

Tell me a story that immediately pops into your mind that was a defining or significant moment for you.

Shortly before my mother passed away, and while I was taking care of her, I wrote my thoughts about her eulogy.  It was so powerful to think about this while she was still alive that I had to read it to her.  I was able to honor her in a way that that was meaningful to BOTH of us.  That action has truly impacted me, and I’m grateful that I did it, as difficult as it was.

 

Why do you choose to make a financial investment in ADL?

Now more than ever, the ADL’s mission is essential.  Ethical and fair treatment for all humanity is essential to peace in this country and around the world.  We MUST be more tolerant of others, and what ADL does each and every day brings us closer to a world united.

 

If you are a legacy donor, why have you chosen to invest in ADL in this way?

I am not currently a legacy donor, but I will be.  The mission must continue for generations to come!

 

Complete this sentence: For me, the ADL is … critical to a more peaceful world!