It was the early 1970s when Susan arrived at UC Berkeley. She grew up in Boston as the oldest child in a family of four sisters and one brother. “There were not a lot of role models for ambitious young women in the late ’60s,” Susan says, “Most of the young women at my all-girls school went to college, came home, got married and had children. But the world around me was changing, and I wanted to be part of that change.”

“Walking through Sproul Plaza for the first time I thought, ‘This is where I need to be,’ says Susan. “To be at the center of so many diverse ideas and points of view was so energizing. It felt like a place where I could shape my own story and find a way to have an impact.”

While at Berkeley, Susan did copy editing for the underground, politically-minded newspaper, the Berkeley Tribe. This cultivated an interest in journalism. She would ultimately take another big leap in her life: leaving Berkeley to work for City Magazine, started by Francis Ford Coppola in the 1970s. Susan says this “first foothold in magazine editing” would lead to more roles at The Village Voice and New Times.

Susan has had a storied career in media: working for Jane Fonda’s movie production company, founding Premiere magazine, heading up Martha Stewart Living as CEO, and working for Disney and ABC, where she picked up the television pilots for mega-successes Desperate Housewives and Grey’s Anatomy.

“I think because of my experiences at Cal, I felt I could have a dynamic life and career,” Susan says. “It prepares you to be a significant player in the space you choose.”

After a media career, Susan changed the arc of her trajectory. She now helps women and diverse founders of tech companies get their first big breaks to solve problems for the rest of us. In 2014, she launched BBG Ventures, an early-stage venture fund investing in women-led tech companies.

“Berkeley gave me a very powerful belief: I could define my own destiny.”

Susan says she gives to Berkeley to help students discover their destinies. She continues to support data science because of its reach across multiple disciplines to address challenges across so many arenas.

“I’m seeding the future: If my giving helps the university attract the best, most diverse mix of students and gives them access to the resources and community to meet their potential, I can have a rolling impact that lasts for decades.”