Champion Profile: Susan Kaplan Believes in Family

A longtime Los Angeles resident, Susan received her M.B.A. from the UCLA Anderson Graduate School of Management in the late 1970's. Her driving interest at that time was combining best management practices with best social service practices. She shortly thereafter joined Friends of the Family and, after a decade of work helping grow the organization, became a leader for the family support movement.

Susan is a strong advocate at both the local and national levels for providing universal access to helpful, responsive and effective services for all families. She is frequently asked by Family Support America, the Children's Planning Council of Los Angeles and the First 5 LA Commission to provide input and guidance around issues related to building collaborative relationships and community empowerment.

A member of a large extended family, Ms. Kaplan is the stepmother of two children and the proud grandmother of one grandson and one granddaughter.

Which book has most influenced your life?

The Measure of Our Success by Marian Wright Edelman and Within Our Reach by Lisbeth Schorr

What makes you happy?

My family ... and people who put their money where their mouth is

Angry?

Social and economic injustice, hypocrisy, racism and inequity

Which historical figure do you admire most and why?

Harriet Tubman: Her life and her choices inspire me to take risks, to trust myself, to stick up for those who have yet to find their voice and to know that action speaks louder than words.

What is your favorite way to spend time with an important child or children in your life?

A leisurely evening playing cards and games with my grandchildren, nieces and nephews

What is your motto?

Si, se puede! Or, yes, you can!