Welcome

Hello All!

One of my goals as Executive Director of Sooch Foundation is to take a moment every month to spotlight the profound work of our partners in the community, and to occasionally bring broader light to the systems and issues related to the Foundation’s mission.

First, though, I wanted to introduce myself. For those of you who do not know me, I started in this role on July 1, carrying on the legacy of founding Executive Director Mary Ellen Pietruszynski. I’m coming from a 30+ year career in nonprofit leadership, most notably as co-founder and longtime CEO of LifeWorks here in Austin. I’m also a moderately-paced but dedicated runner and cyclist, a yoga enthusiast, and a community volunteer for organizations such as Austin Together and The New Philanthropists.

This new role will allow me the opportunity to apply a career of knowledge about, and for, the work of Austin’s nonprofit organizations and their partners in furthering Sooch Foundation’s mission of making a positive and permanent change through educational opportunities.

I’ve been on a learning journey, and I want to thank everyone who has generously taken time to meet with me as I deepen my understanding of the challenges and opportunities in front of us as we strive to be a community where educational opportunity and workforce success is possible for everyone. Here are just a few observations from my first weeks:

• The future of work will require an unprecedented degree of adaptability from individuals, and while a four-year degree remains the strongest indicator of learning potential, employers are increasingly looking to skills, not degrees. This short article by Paul Fain describes the concept of developing a “digital wallet” and the implications for how both K-12 and higher educations must adapt to prepare students for the realities of the workforce.

• Sooch Foundation partners are at the forefront of these issues. In recent weeks, I attended Code2College’s AI Demo Demo Day; was introduced to the work of E4 Youth’s Digital Docents; observed the launch of graduates of Skillpoint Alliance’s Manufacturing Technician Program, and sat with members of Level’s team as they responded to urgent requests from currently incarcerated men and women and their families as they plan to re-enter the workforce.

• Philanthropy has a critical role to play in supporting organizations and systems that are driving educational and employment outcomes in our community. The world of work is changing, and we are committed to learning along with our grantees and our partners in the community.

Stay tuned in the coming months to learn more about the exciting work of our grantees and our partners. I’m truly excited to be part of this great work.

My thanks to you all!

Susan