Susana Gonzalez has been working with college student leaders in the California State University for over 10 years.  She began her career at Associated Students at Cal State San Marcos and is currently working as the Executive Director for the California State Student Association (CSSA), the largest statewide student advocacy group in the country, representing over 450,000 students.  Under her leadership, the CSSA board of directors has celebrated a number of victories and accomplishments, including the passing of a legislative bill reforming financial aid for older students pursuing a public higher education and at the last presidential election CSSA registered over 24,000 college students! 

Susana’s passion for education, community, culture and diversity has taken her everywhere from the Acropolis in Greece to Mexico’s pyramids to the Great Wall of China.  She believes that her travel experiences have provided an appreciation for diversity and global consciousness.  

Currently, she lives in Long Beach and is the writer for “Latina in the City” published in the Long Beach Post (www.lbpost.com), she is in the process of completing a Masters in Public Administration at California State University, Long Beach.  Most recently she was appointed to the Board of Directors for the Clifford Beers Housing, Inc., and to the city of Long Beach Sustainability Commission.  She currently is serving as Vice Chair of the commission and joined the team of consultants in the San Diego based non-profit, “Empowered Parents Alliance.”

She is the daughter of immigrant parents and is the first in her family to complete an education beyond high school.  Susana obtained a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration at Cal State San Marcos.  She was born and raised in the border region of Tijuana-San Diego and continues to volunteer her time toward improving the quality of life in her community.