Susan began her career with Community Hospice (then known as Hospice of Northeast Florida) as a volunteer clinical social worker for the nonprofit in 1985. She became the organization’s first staff social worker in 1986.
She was named chief executive of Hospice of Northeast Florida in 1988. During her tenure, Community Hospice grew from serving 60 patients a day with a staff of 35 to one of the largest independent hospice programs in the United States as an organization of 1,200 full- and part- time employees as well as 1,200 volunteers serving approximately 1,400 hospice patients each day in two states.
Susan was an early advocate of palliative care and developing better models of care for those with advanced illness. Her work led her organization to create Alivia Care, Inc., a non-profit company designed to develop and support innovative solutions and provide a continuum of care for those facing advancing illness or geriatric frailty. Community Hospice and Palliative Care is one of Alivia Care’s companies. Other Alivia Care companies include Alivia Care of Georgia, Alivia Care Solutions, PACE Partners of Northeast Florida, and Alivia Management Services. She was appointed its first President and CEO in July 2020.
Susan serves on multiple local, regional, statewide, and national boards, including The National Alliance for Care at Home, Florida Hospice and Palliative Care Association, UF Health-St. Johns, Home Care 100, PACE Association of Florida and is the past chair of the Northeast Florida Health Planning Council, where she still serves as the representative for St. Johns County. She is the past president and lifetime member of the Florida Council on Aging, a 1,000-member statewide advocacy organization for older Floridians.
Susan is a member of the Academy of Certified Social Workers (ACSW), a Qualified Clinical Social Worker (QCSW) and a board-certified Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the State of Florida. She also holds certification as an Advanced Certified Hospice Executive (ACHE). She has received multiple awards and recognition for her leadership and advocacy work. She speaks, writes, and teaches about hospice and serious illness care in Florida and nationally.
