She Sewed Her Own Suits at Night So She Could Sit at Tables No One Invited Her To

What does it take to keep speaking up when you're the only woman in the room? In this inspiring episode of Catch Her Spark, Jen Maldonado sits down with environmental engineer and sustainability leader Susan Alvarez, whose career has been built on doing the right thing—even when it wasn't the easy thing.

Susan shares her remarkable journey from being one of only three women in her engineering graduating class to leading regional climate resilience and sustainability efforts that impact millions of people. Along the way, she faced leaders who wanted to take credit for her work, difficult negotiations involving environmental justice, and countless moments where courage mattered more than comfort.

One of Susan's most memorable stories is how she sewed her own business suits after work so she could confidently attend executive meetings where she was often the youngest—and only—woman present. Those moments became the foundation for a career defined by preparation, integrity, and the confidence to use her voice.

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