Women’s History Month may be drawing to a close this week, but the women at AB Global never stop Crushing It!
In this final #WomenCrushWednesday article for the month at AB Global, Synergy Americas featured CWP Board Member Susanne Russotto, VP/Director Strategic Relationship Group, with the following article:
Susanne Russotto – Director of Strategic Relationship Group within the Client Group – manages a team responsible for working and developing relationships with our most valued Retail intermediaries. Before joining AB in 2008, Susanne had worked at another investment firm as well as holding positions in Institutional Sales for Life and Disability insurance companies for eight years before joining the asset management industry. Many of you may know Susanne for her countless contributions to AB Volunteers EWG. She’s an original member and co-chair since 2012, but her contributions to the community don’t stop at AB.
Susanne & team mentoring at The Young Women’s Leadership School in Queens, part of The Young Women’s Leadership Network.
In addition to volunteering as a Citizen Teacher through an AB Apprenticeship with Citizen Schools, Susanne has been actively volunteering with the Junior League of NY for 11 years-an organization of women committed to promoting volunteerism, developing the potential of women, and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers.
Since 2015, Susanne has also been a volunteer and board member of Community-Word Project (CWP). CWP is a New York City based arts-in-education organization that inspires children in underserved communities to read, interpret and respond to their world and to become active citizens through collaborative arts residencies and teacher training programs. Susanne originally heard about CWP from fellow AB employees who were involved with the organization and approached Susanne to see if there were ways AB Volunteers could help. Arts have always been an important aspect of Susanne’s life through music and dance. After attending a memorable CWP event, and getting to know the Executive Director Michele Kotler’s own story, Susanne was inspired to get involved.
How does Susanne find the time and energy to stay engaged? Maybe it’s the many fulfilling moments, like the photo she captured below when she spent time delivering books to a second grade class at a school in the Bronx. Over 30% of the school is in transitional housing and for many of the children it was the first time they had a book of their own and not one borrowed from school or the library.
Susanne recognizes volunteering can be a large time commitment, but it doesn’t have to be. When work and life limit the time to physically volunteer, there are still small things you can do to help make an impact. Many nonprofits need advocates and donors as much as they need volunteer man hours. Talking about various causes with friends and colleagues can lead others to be inspired to volunteer or give themselves.
And a person’s ability to get involved may change over time, but any and all time spent volunteering is appreciated and connects you to your community. Donations, even the smallest ones, add up over time.
“Overall volunteering and giving back is one of most rewarding things you can do. There’s no end of problems around the globe today, and although we can’t all save the world, everyone can do a little bit to make it a better place.” -Susanne Russotto
