Sue Sena

Sue Sena describes herself as a catalyst for change—a coach, community builder, and late-life solo mom who believes that life’s greatest transformations often grow out of our deepest breakdowns. With more than three decades of experience leading and consulting with social impact organizations, Sue has dedicated her work to helping people and communities navigate moments of transition. Her approach to leadership is rooted in listening, adaptability, and creating spaces where people feel supported to move beyond the limitations they once believed defined them.

Sue’s journey is shaped by powerful personal turning points. Becoming a mother later in life—first through fostering and then as a solo parent raising a neurodiverse daughter—profoundly reshaped her understanding of resilience, purpose, and personal power. These experiences deepened her commitment to supporting women and changemakers as they move through uncertainty and reinvention. Her work spans creative practice, social justice, and personal development, including her role as co-founder of the Swish Ally Fund at Stonewall Community Foundation, the first donor-advised fund created by LGBTQ+ allies to amplify marginalized voices and celebrate diverse paths to belonging.

Through the Acosta Institute Fellowship, Sue hopes to continue exploring how storytelling, vulnerability, and community can help people step more fully into their power. As a seeker, healer, and connector, she enters the Fellowship eager to learn alongside others who are committed to building more compassionate and courageous forms of leadership—spaces where curiosity, creativity, and shared humanity guide the work of transformation.