Suzanne Blaum was born and raised in the greater New Orleans area. She has sixteen years of experience in nonprofit administration and a background in program management, public relations and community outreach. Through her work in the nonprofit industry in New Orleans, she’s been able to pursue her passions in the arts, culture, architecture and education.

Suzanne began working with Young Audiences of Louisiana (YALA) through its Arts Partners Program, during her 8-year tenure as Director of Education and Outreach at the Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans. Inspired by jazz singer Germaine Bazzle, she led the development of an in-school residency program which connected education standards using visual arts, performance, role playing, and interactive tours of the city. The program earned a Certificate of Merit from the American Architecture Foundation. In 2012, on behalf of the Preservation Resource Center, she accepted the Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation Award for broadening understanding of the importance of preserving Louisiana’s History through education programming.

Currently, Suzanne serves as the Director of Extended Learning at YALA, where she brings teaching artists to 10 sites which serve thousands of students in afterschool and summer school programs. Suzanne has received facilitation training from the Center for Mind Body Medicine, and successfully completed the Bryan Bell Metropolitan Leadership Forum. She also volunteers with “You Night”, a program which empowers women diagnosed with cancer.