Susannah Burley, Founder & Executive Director

education

Master of Landscape Architecture, Louisiana State University

Bachelor of Arts – Communications and Film Studies, Loyola University New Orleans

favorite tree

Dogwood

contact

sburley@soulnola.org
504.535.5119

Susannah grew up in Atlanta, the “City in the Forest,” where she witnessed firsthand how trees shape healthier, more vibrant communities. After eleven years in the film industry, she followed her calling back to the natural world, earning a graduate degree in Landscape Architecture. There, she cultivated an expertise in natural systems and embraced the idea of nature as critical urban infrastructure.

In 2016, she founded Sustaining Our Urban Landscape (SOUL) to combat New Orleans’ declining tree canopy and its inequitable distribution. Drawing on her four years as Program Director at Parkway Partners, Susannah has led efforts to plant thousands of native trees, strengthen climate resilience, and bring the benefits of urban forestry to the neighborhoods that need them most. She lives in Mid-City with her husband and son. Susannah loves exploring nature, gardening, creative writing, and crafting Mardi Gras costumes.