Susan Callery Susan holds a B.S. degree from UCLA and Master of Science degree
in Environmental Policy and Management from the University of Denver. Her
journey into environmental issues began during her tenure as a City Council Member
and Deputy Mayor in Poway, CA, where she also served on the Boards of the Blue
Sky Ecological Reserve and the San Dieguito River Park Joint Powers Authority.

Inspired by seeing habitat destruction and the devastation of burning rainforests during a trip to Borneo to see wild orangutans, she enrolled in her master’s degree program in her 50s.
With a rich background in Earth Science communications, Susan has contributed
significantly to environmental awareness. She has held positions at the California
Department of Toxic Substances Control and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory
(JPL), where she led the Earth Science Public Engagement team and coordinated
NASA-wide efforts in communicating Earth and climate science.

Even after retiring from management, Susan continued to oversee NASA’s climate
website, climate.nasa.gov until her full retirement in February. Since moving to
Arroyo Grande in 2023 to be closer to her grandchildren, she remains committed
to climate and environmental issues and is actively involved with SLO County Citizen’s Climate Education.