Susanne Karst is a dynamic leader with 29 years of business experience in very diverse industries. She graduated magna cum laude in Chemical Engineering from Louisi ana State University, is a Certified Dale Carnegie Instructor, owned and operated a Bikram Yoga Studio and is a Scuba Schools International Diving Instructor. Susanne progressed through various positions in engineering and manufacturing management up to and including Plant Manager. She has also been a tour guide, instructor, small business owner and consultant. Susanne has worked with multi-disciplined teams and teammates to leverage the skills and talents of each individual to maximize contributions to the bottom line. She encourages innovative thinking with a participative management style that engages and makes work enjoyable. Susanne’s most recent addition to her resume is being certified to dive the Poseidon SE7EN closed-circuit rebreather – it’s scuba without bubbles – amazing!
Susanne is retired and has her own consulting business working in the chemical industry, the training sector, and underwater. Susanne worked with “Fortune 500” companies such as Occidental Petroleum, General Electric, Monsanto and Shell and also “Mom and Pop” businesses such as Yoga 108, Harry’s Dive Shop and Ledet Management Consulting. Susanne enjoys helping her colleagues and clients make improvements in communications, human relations, salesmanship and leadership. It gives her great joy to watch her clients grow both in the classroom and in life while transforming human potential into measurable results. Susanne loves being in the classroom and her favorite quote came from a student who said of class, “You could put a rock in that room, and it would get something out of it.”
Since she is retired, Susanne and her husband, Fred, spend much of their time traveling. Recent excursions have brought them to the Raja Ampat region of Indonesia, the Maldive Islands, the Philippines, Palau, Sicily, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel, and she is eager to share her photos with anyone interested in seeing them! On the bucket list is Little Cayman, Australia, New Zealand, Israel and more. When home, Susanne spends time with family, reads, sips wine, nibbles on dark chocolate and continues her Bikram yoga practice. She and Fred are members of New Wine Christian Fellowship in LaPlace. Susanne was also a member of the Kenner Business Association for 13 years, serving on its Board of Directors for 6 years including one term as President and was named Member of the Year in 2011.