Welcome, Suzanne Firth

Suzanne Firth of Toronto, Canada, is one of GSGC’s newest volunteers. She’s jumped in with both feet, and our communications team is stronger for it.

In 2011, Suzanne retired as director of Communications, Media and Public Relations for the Schulich School of Business at York University in Toronto. Following that, she held a number of contract positions. But she missed writing.

By chance, Suzanne learned of Global Sojourns’ award-winning Philanthropy, Culture and Conservation trip scheduled for this spring in Southern Africa and signed up just a couple months before the coronavirus pandemic shut down travel worldwide.

She was drawn to the trip’s deep dive into Africa, a continent about which she had some knowledge, but no experience. Her late husband had traveled to Kenya to manage a water project for a decade, and he opened a small gallery in Toronto to sell ebony sculptures made by the Makonde tribe in Tanzania.

With an abiding gratitude for the life she’s led — she’s lived in Singapore and Tokyo and taught language and literature in both; speaks French, co-founded an English Language Institute and an International MBA program at York; and survived three years in a trailer in the frigid wilderness of northern Manitoba — Suzanne wants to use her education and experience for the greater good.

“In this modest way, by volunteering with GSGC, I am able to honour a lifelong commitment to helping individuals realize their full potential,” she said. “And at the same time, I can indulge my number one passion, writing!”

Thank you, Suzanne, for all your enthusiasm, time and expertise. Welcome to the GSGC community. We’re glad you’re here.