Susan Hughes Communications Officer

As Communications Officer for the Johns Hopkins Institute for Planetary Health, Susan leads the Institute’s communications and marketing efforts. She is responsible for building the Institute’s brand and promoting adoption of Planetary Health thinking, scholarship, and practice within the Johns Hopkins University community and beyond.

Prior to joining JHIPH, Susan spent over two decades honing her craft and played a pivotal role in advancing the missions of many nonprofits, including: Mental Health Association of Maryland, Human Rights Campaign, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, League of Conservation Voters, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of the Greater Chesapeake, and many more. 

A writer and designer by training, Susan brings a passion for psychology, social psychology, and brain science to her work. She believes well-executed communication is the power tool needed to influence people, change behavior, and create the paradigm shift required to address our mounting earth crisis. 

Susan received a bachelor of arts degree in creative writing from University of Maryland, a masters of arts degree in integrated design from University of Baltimore, and a certificate in graphic design from the Maryland Institute College of Art. While originally from Indiana, Susan has spent most of her life in Baltimore City, where she lives with her husband, two daughters, and two cats—Samwise and Frodo.