Meet Suzanne Ferguson, new ASA Board Member
By Ann Ratcliff
Suzanne Ferguson is in a unique situation as a board member for the Arizona Senior Academy. She is one of the new ASA board members who does not live in Academy Village, however she used to live there. Thus, she will bring a distinctive viewpoint to the ASA board.
Suzanne spent her career in academia, starting with a Ph.D. from Stanford in Modern English and American literature. She then went on to academic appointments at UC Santa Barbara, Ohio State, Wayne State and finally retired from Case Western Reserve University. During her time in academia, she was a board member for several nonprofit agencies. As department chair and dean, she also spent many hours dealing with fund raising.
From the time she was in graduate school, Suzanne has had an interest in early music. She played the piano, the recorder and the viola da gamba. Her interest in early music propelled her to become a founding board member of the now internationally acclaimed “Apollo’s Fire”, the Cleveland Baroque Orchestra”. She has had leadership positions in the Viola da Gamba society of America and the American Recorder Society as well as the ‘Early Music in Columbus’ Concert series. She still plays in a local viola da gamba group. Ask her about her participation in a band for retirement communities named “Oldies Play Oldies for Oldies”!
After moving to Academy Village, Suzanne spent some time reading through historical documents related to the community and particularly the Arizona Senior Academy. With the knowledge she gained from this reading, her background, her curiosity, and her experience living in Academy Village, she brings a number of skills and ideas that will serve ASA well.
Welcome Suzanne!