Susan Kiskis
About Me
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Everything I do stems from one belief: people, wildlife, and ecosystems are deeply connected — and through our choices, we can protect what we share. My work is grounded in sustainability and biodiversity conservation in a changing climate, branching into yoga, photography, memoir writing, travel, and teaching.
A Path Shaped by Story and Exploration
I've stood on the Great Wall of China, meditated on the Ganges in India, hiked through jungles in Belize, and learned the meaning of pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago. My books include Born Fire Dragon, released in 2014, Let Me Carry You Home, released in 2018, and photography book From India with Love: Rishikesh in 2020. I've hosted podcasts, Church of Love and ZenUp, as well was a co-host of web series, Soul Sessions.
I've been a vegetarian for almost 30 years, and love exploring vegan and vegetarian recipes, and global cuisines. (Though despite it all, nothing beats a large slice of cheese pizza from my home in NYC.)
I hold a Master of Science in Global Health, completing a Master of Science in Sustainable Food Systems, and a Bachelor of Arts in Art History (with a minor in Anthropology). My interest lies in how human-driven effects from climate change and behaviour impact wildlife conservation, and how to mitigate those challenges.
Susan Kiskis holds a Masters in Science in Global Health from Arizona State University, and is currently pursuing her second M.S. in Sustainable Food Systems under Dr. Kathleen Merrigan. Her extensive experience spans research, marketing, academia, and business management. As a GSA, she conducted environmental scans on farmers markets across the U.S. for an ASU project for USDA AMS and co-presented at the 2023 Agricultural Marketing Summit in Washington, D.C. She analyzed health perceptions around organic farming in West Kalimantan, Indonesia as a Planetary Health Research Intern, and prepared a literature review on, and presentation around, the mental health effects from climate change for Alam Sehat Lestari.
In food systems, she was a General Manager for a mid-sized health food store for over a decade and presented at Independent Natural Retailers Association national conference on marketing, and created the first children's educational garden at a Pennsylvania library.
Her work in climate action led her to creating the Mechanicsburg Earth Day Festival, doing conservation and reforestation work in the U.S. and Indonesia, and creating educational programs for children and adults.
In 2023, her climate action projects led to her acceptance into the 2023 Clinton Global Initiative University and The Oxygen Project's Top Co-op. In 2025, she became a Fulbright semifinalist.
Quick Facts
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Countries Visited: 29
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Published Memoirs: 2 (Sunbury Press)
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Yoga Training: 300 RYT, classical/traditional
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Favorite Wildlife Encounters: Elephants at dawn, shore birds on PEI
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Workshop Topics: Travel, Sustainability, Climate Change, Wildlife Conservation
