That Susan Bass Levin has led a life dedicated to the service of others should come as no surprise.
It would not take long to recognize that Susan has spent years entrenched as a leader in the state – ranging across a wide spectrum of governmental, political and volunteer positions.
She started her career as a lawyer, first serving as a clerk for a federal tax judge after graduating from law school, and then as an attorney with the Washington DC law firm Covington & Burling, at a time when there were very few women in large law firms.
Serving in those capacities gave her critical insight into how she could have a positive impact going forward.
As such, Susan’s professional career path includes serving asMayor of Cherry Hill and as a cabinet member for three New Jersey governors, as well as Co-Chairing the 1996 Clinton-Gore NJ campaign and serving as a member of the 1996 Electoral College.
As her journey continued, Susan moved from the government to the health care sector, where she served as President/CEO of the Cooper Foundation at Cooper University Health Care, while also remaining active in the nonprofit community, where she is well known for her efforts.
Susan’s deeply embedded family traditions hold the key to her remarkable story. It also reminds us of how important family is to Susan. While she is acknowledged as a leader in the state across all sectors, she is most proud of her two adult daughters and her four grandchildren.
This is where Susan is truly at her best and where she draws on inner strength to serve the state in so many unique capacities.
What is Susan’s “Why?”
Some might ask ‘why’ Susan has dedicated her life to helping others. But the answer is not complicated. In fact, Susan’s family values hold the key to her remarkable story.
Like so many immigrants who arrived here from around the world, her grandparents traveled to the United States with the intention of building a better life for their families. As a result, Susan’s Brooklyn-born and raised parents were able to fulfill those dreams – bolstered first by attending New York City colleges before they settled down and raised their three children in New Jersey.
Adhering to their family beliefs, Susan’s parents instilled in their young children the beautiful concept of ‘tikkun olam,’ which, in Hebrew, means ‘repairing the world.’ Holding fast to this guiding principle, they taught Susan and her brothers to take responsibility for making the world a better place. From her earliest years, Susan was encouraged to see all issues – large and small – through a critical lens in search of solutions.
With an inclination to solve problems, as is evident in her youthful passion for math challenges and puzzles, Susan continued to fulfill her family legacy as she grew older.
Over the decades Susan followed her parent’s urging to hold herself accountable as she sought ways to help fix what was broken.
From serving New Jersey as the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) Commissioner to her position as Deputy Executive Director of the New York/New Jersey Port Authority to her work as project manager building the MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper, to an endless list of nonprofit initiatives, Susan sought out obstacles – and then diligently put a plan in place to overcome those barriers.
Critical Influences
There are a few incidents that can turn the world upside down in an instant. A diagnosis of cancer is one of those life events that changes everything. But when Susan received that dreaded news, instead of becoming angry and resentful or withdrawing into a shell, she drew on the experience to expand her commitment to help others.
Contemplating the hard factregarding her own mortality helped her achieve a positive perspective as she focused on making important contributions to the community, most especially by serving as an advocate for cancer research and cancer patients at the Cooper Foundation.
The lesson that life is short and must be lived to its fullest was very personal for Susan, but it was just one more challenge to face, one more problem to overcome. Susan is a long-time fan of Rabbi Hillel’s most famous quote, “If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?”
As she notes, though, it is that last line that gives a sense of urgency to the message – “if not now, when?” And she poses that question every day as she moves forward to address the problems presented – right now.
Lessons Learned
Growing up in a loving and nurturing environment, surrounded by supportive family, neighbors and friends with a tradition of giving back gave Susan a head start to assume a positive outlook on life.
As she reflects on her personal and professional accomplishments, she considers the path she has taken and the most significant lessons she has learned along the way.
- Time is fleeting; seize the moment. It might be lunch with a friend, reading a book or completing a project. Just do it.
- Life brings great opportunities if you are open and ready
- Be intentional in your decisions
- Stand up for yourself, for your values and for others
- Live a meaningful life where you balance both personal and professional initiatives
- Take chances – you win some and you lose some (and that’s OK!)
- When you fail, learn from your mistakes.
- Laugh and cry
- Live authentically; you must be your own best self
While Susan has focused on making an impact on the community as a whole, she has also volunteered many hours working with and mentoring individuals, including the hundreds she has guided over the years.
Her commitment enabled them to improve their skills as they grew to become accomplished leaders themselves in business, health care, labor, education and community service.
In this way, Susan influenced and inspired hundreds of future leaders. As she has exemplified through her multi-faceted career, the relationships we form throughout our lives continue to ripple around us, as a continuous reminder that it is indeed a small world!
What’s Next?
Today Susan has created a new, dynamic role for herself as a strategic consultant.
Drawing on her business acumen and depth of experiences, she launched SBL Consulting LLC where she provides consulting services to leaders in the state’s corporations, utilities, real estate developers and nonprofit organizations.
Saying Thank You
As a result of Susan’s passion for solving problems, her purposeful efforts, her profound impact and her ability to collaborate, she has gained a well respected reputation, one that has included many honors and awards.
It is important to note that her selfless commitments have brought her much attention, including accolades from the Rand Institute for Public Affairs at Rutgers, Executive Women in New Jersey, Women in Transportation, Professional Women in Construction, Women Builders Council, N.J. Association of Women Lawyers, N.J. Association of Women Business Owners, Chamber of Commerce of Southern New Jersey, Philadelphia Business Journal, Girl Scouts of America, Bergen County Women Lawyers, Boys and Girls Club and N.J. Community Development Corporation.
New Jersey has been deeply inspired and grateful for the relentless energy and dedication of Susan Bass Levin.
