Susan Burgess-Lent
Bio:
Susan Burgess-Lent champions redefining society through gender intelligence, the collaborative efforts of women and men to create equilibrium in rights and power.
For more than 25 years, she worked extensively in East Africa. Formerly Program Director of Darfur Peace and Development Organization, she managed relief programs and the first Women’s Centers in Darfur during the genocide.
Women's Centers International, the non-profit she founded, creates safe dedicated spaces where women can access the resources and support they need to advance out of poverty. The Women’s Center Model has been adapted in Kenya and Oakland, CA.
An experienced public speaker, Susan has made numerous presentations to civic, academic, and professional groups about the impact of war on women and the most effective ways of addressing their needs.
Susan’s 2019 book is Trouble, Ahead: Dangerous Mission with Desperate People, a compelling, insightful recounting of fifteen humanitarian missions in East Africa.
She has worked as a field producer and news editor for television stations and news bureaus in San Francisco and Washington, DC.
Ms. Burgess-Lent earned a BA in Business Management from the University of Maryland University College, with additional studies of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law.
Sub-specialties:
Women and Poverty, Kenya women, Darfur women, Innovations in Services to women affected by conflict and poverty
