“If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.”
– Dalai Lama
Susana Bobadilla Ruddock coordinates and disseminates information about the Junior League of New Orleans as the Board of Directors Communications Council Director. Susana combines her strong management and communication skills with her professional experience to oversee promotion of JLNO’s events, businesses and community projects via traditional advertising, social media, press releases, the Lagniappe publication and the organization’s website. Working closely with the President, Board members, committee chairs and staff, Susana reviews all print and digital materials while providing guidance on additional opportunities to extend JLNO’s influence. During her year as Communications Council Director, she hopes to learn more about her ability to lead and how to build lasting relationships with those she works with on the Board and on her Council. She also wants to increase momentum for JLNO’s Women Leading for a Greater New Orleans branding campaign while cultivating diversity and inclusion within JLNO’s membership.
When Susana joined JLNO in 2013, she was looking to develop her leadership skills, find opportunities to volunteer in her community, and meet like-minded women. Since then, she has led committees for both the Communications and Membership Councils. She appreciates how JLNO brings together diverse individuals with similar hopes and goals to have a positive community impact. Last year, she had the opportunity to have dinner with fellow Junior League members from around the country. They had never met before, but they felt as though they’d known each other for years. They all had a passion for volunteering and a desire to learn about leadership. Over the course of a few hours, they created strong bonds over shared commitments. Susana believes so many wonderful opportunities exist in JLNO, both educational and social. She especially enjoys performing direct service and getting to know the members while volunteering. Everyone is so different, but they all care about the community and the impact the organization is having on important issues.
Susana is the Development Director for Southern Eye Bank, a nonprofit organization providing eye tissue for transplant, research and education in Louisiana, the United States and throughout the world. As Development Director, she wears many hats. A few of her tasks include educating the staff at hospitals, coroners and funeral homes about their integral role in organ, eye and tissue donation. She works with local corneal surgeons, as well as donor families and corneal transplant recipients creating events and promoting the donor registry. She is a volunteer member of Sweet Swine O’ Mine, the only all-women’s team for Hogs for the Cause, and she is in the 610 Splits, the female security guards for the 610 Stompers all-male dance group. Her favorite aspect of New Orleans is the vibrant music scene, as she’s always been passionate about live music. Susana loves getting lost in the sounds of the city, be it the clang of the streetcar rolling down St. Charles Avenue or one of the many outdoor concerts the city provides. She adores living in a city flourishing with musicians and where opportunities abound to experience the music. She feels lucky to be raising her daughter in a city whose culture is deeply rooted in music.
Growing up between Spain and Virginia, Susana graduated from University of Mary Washington with a Bachelor of Arts in international affairs. She now lives in Uptown New Orleans with her husband Theodore “Davis” and their 15-month-old daughter Julia Jane. She says she is blessed to have many strong women in her life that provide inspiration and keep her motivated when she feels like she needs wind in her sails. A few of these role models include her mom Pamela, her aunt Carmina and her best friend, Carol. Of course, there are many other women she will never know personally but who have also served as inspiration to her, such as Diane Von Furstenberg, Maya Angelou and Madeline Albright.
