Meet the AIWA-SF Board: Susanna Cogswell

Full Name: SUSANNA COGSWELL

Education: BS in Accounting & Finance; Master’s in Operations Management

1. {Q} What is your fondest memory of traveling to Armenia?

{A} Being able to share Armenia with my daughter. Our early morning walks on Abovian Street, everything is so quiet, streets are still wet from being washed at sunrise, the only thought crosses your mind is that “It’s going to be a great day”. It’s magical!

{Q} What does being on the AIWA-SF board mean to you?

{A} Inspiring, fulfilling, fun! I like that we are continuously attempting to innovate philanthropy as we know it.

{Q} What is your favorite Armenian tradition?

{A} The art of giving.

{Q} Who inspires you?

{A} Anyone who intrigues me with an inspiring vision or intellect, sometimes it comes from the most unexpected places, I love it!

{Q} If you could use technology to do one thing, what would it be?

{A} Provide vast learning opportunities to our youth in Armenia and make the process fun. To me, technology is the enabler, the tool we can use to spread knowledge and I wish we could take advantage of that more often.

{Q} What do you love most about where you grew up?

{A} I had the happiest, most careless childhood, free of fear and worries, full of learning and play. Wish we could ensure the same for our children now.

{Q} Do you have any hobbies?

{A} Wine & Music!!! They go very well together and keep surprising me.

{Q} Where is your favorite place to go in the Bay Area/San Francisco?

{A} Carmel, Embarcadero, Napa… SF Symphony. I love it here!

{Q} What is your life philosophy?

{A} Continuous learning, no one can take that away from you.

{Q} What languages do you speak?

{A} English, Russian, Armenian, un peu French 🙂

{Q} What advice would you give your younger self?

{A} La vie est belle! Be present. Don’t quarrel about the past nor the future.