
Susie Rauch founded and served for 17 years as Executive Director of Interconnections 21 (IC21), a non-profit organisation based in Jackson, Wyoming, dedicated to helping US schools and communities “learn about critical world concerns and take action”.
During her time there, she brought in prominent national and international speakers, sponsored Model United Nations conferences and oversaw student study and service learning trips abroad. Other programs included fundraising to build and support a school in Sierra Leone and organizing an Educator Summit to bring educators from the Wind River Reservation and Jackson together to develop an exchange program.
“It’s a really important skill to hear other peoples’ perspectives, understand them and negotiate differences,” said Susie, commenting on a Model UN conference in 2013. “We hope [the students] see the world as a bigger and more complicated place than they might have before the conference.”
Upon Susie’s retirement in 2015, Mary Woollen from the IC21 Board of Directors paid her this tribute:
Susie will be missed by the board of directors who have had the pleasure to serve and learn under her tutelage and vision, but it is the students, community, and the world at large who will miss her the most.
Susie’s vigorous pursuit to challenge us all learn about, and learn from the world, have made us better thinkers, more compassionate people and I believe, have made tangible differences in lives close to home and in remote areas of the world.
Susie moved to Wyoming after a successful 14-year career at UNESCO. She was elected as a vice-president of Americans for UNESCO in 2012.
Based in Paris, France from 1971 to 1986, Susie also served as a consultant with UNESCO, UNHCR, UNDP, Save the Children and World Education. [02/17]
Email: susanprauch@gmail.com