Susan Young

Susan has held positions in marketing and management development with GE, Black & Decker and Laura Ashley, and was Managing Director-Europe for Aero Products International and First Alert. Her specific areas of commercial expertise are within marketing, business strategy and product development.

After completing her MSc in Organisational Psychology in 2008, Susan joined City Academy and has helped to make it one of London’s leading performing and creative arts academies for adults. It was established to help people develop their creativity and enhance their sense of wellbeing. It has grown from a small group of 30 people in one class in Holborn in 2007 to a thriving community. City Academy has welcomed over 300.000 students in over 50 locations across London. City Academy offers over 250 different types of courses including Dance, Acting, Singing, Filmmaking, Photography, Music, Musical Theatre, Writing, Fitness, Comedy, Art, Communication Skills and Team Building As Co-Managing Director of City Academy's Business Training & Development team, Susan has devised training programmes that, through the power of performing arts, deliver solutions to business and help individuals, teams and organisations achieve their goals.

Susan has been a member of IWF UK since 2005 and has served as Chair from 2012 to 2014 and on the Board from 2009 -2012. She was delighted to host the 3-day celebration of IWF UK’s 25^th anniversary and btough ‘ PORTRAYED’ to fruition. ‘PORTRAYED’ was an exhibition of portraits celebrating the founder members of IWF UK and the Chairs for the first 25 years.

Susan is a transplanted American and after 33 years is finally becoming a British citizen. However, she has a home in Italy so definitely plays the field geographically speaking. Susan loves hand crafts and has enough yarn to stash a shop and an array of power tools that could fill a white van.

Susan is Vice Chair and co-chair of the Storytelling (Leadership Stories) special Interest Group