Susan Hitchcock
Written by Katrina Daniel
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She has served on the following boards: Atlanta Women’s Network, Georgia Executive Women’s Network, Board of Director’s Network and Possible Woman Foundation International. Most recently she was elected to the Agnes Scott Alumnae Board and the steering committee of the Literacy Alliance of Metro Atlanta.
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Hitchcock’s special passion is her “SHEroes” project, which has allowed her to interview more than 60 inspirational women in fields from A to Z. Hitchcock’s other passion is being “Xanna” to four spirited grandchildren, three girls and a boy.
We begin with a question: How would you explain yourself to someone who was interested in you but didn’t know your background?
Susan Hitchcock responds, “I describe myself as a champion of women’s leadership and advancement and an advocate for parity in the workplace. I’m also a mentor, researcher, speaker, writer and career consultant. My management and leadership skills were developed in the corporate world at BellSouth, where I had a 25-year career, held 18 different positions, most of which were in network operations – sometimes the first or only woman in the role.
My second career in leadership consulting was not planned but clearly was meant to be. For the past 18+ years, I’ve been living my passion to help others develop their leadership skills - with particular emphasis on helping organizations identify, develop and advance their female talent.
Along the way, I started Turknett’s Women’s Initiatives including the Women in Leadership seminar series now in its ninth year. In addition, I’ve interviewed over 60 women leaders and have written profiles about their career and life stories.
When I reflect on my total career, I think I want my legacy to be that I was part of the generation of women who ‘cracked the glass ceiling.’
It’s important to me that women of all ages recognize on whose shoulders we stand – the SHEroes who have come before us and who paved the way for our advancement and continued success. I have many past and current SHEroes who inspire me every day!
I’m also proud to be a Kentucky native, an Agnes Scott graduate and a dedicated volunteer in the ATL community."
“Character is the foundation of leadership” is the mantra of the organization Susan Hitchcock works with, Turknett Leadership Group, an organization that strives to build both, leadership and character.
Hitchcock is executive director of Women’s Initiatives of the well-respected corporate leadership development firm.
Susan Hitchcock was a born caretaker, “I dreamed of becoming a nurse,” she says, "primarily because I lost my mother to cancer when I was 4. What I most remember about her was the fact that she was sick, and if I was a nurse I could have taken care of her. As I grew older, however, I realized that was not the professional path for me.”
Instead, Susan Hitchcock became an accomplished businesswoman. After a long and distinguished career with BellSouth/AT&T, Hitchcock joined Turknett Leadership Group, where she heads up the Women’s Initiatives platform.
While Hitchcock has spent 40 years in the workplace, she has also been very involved in the community, working to improve adult literacy, mentor teens, staff a crisis helpline as a counselor and serve on the Governor’s Committee on Secondary Education. It’s obvious that she has been involved in many different aspects of community betterment.
Hitchcock explains, “Currently what wakes me up in the middle of the night is thinking about how I can make the greatest difference - the biggest impact - with the resources I have, including my time, skills, finances and my passion. Every day is a blessing to be used wisely.”
Among those blessings, she counts her family foremost - her husband, their children and four grandchildren.
Nonetheless, Hitchcock is very satisfied with her professional accomplishments and not just those that involve making money. Instead, Susan Hitchcock is most proud of what she has been able to pass on to others, “Professionally speaking, I’m very proud that I’ve been able to develop, mentor, sponsor, coach, promote and/or support so many women and men to help them rise to their potential.”
Interestingly, when asked about anything she’d like to change or “do-over” in her life, Hitchcock says,” If offered just one ‘do-over,’ it would probably be to ‘dial back’ my career drive when my daughter was in her teen years to be more present for her. But I’m happy to say she turned into a strong professional woman and a great mother herself.”
Hitchcock says setting goals for herself has been the driving force behind many of her personal and professional achievements, “If you don’t set goals, you won’t know if and when you‘ve accomplished anything. I think ‘stretch’ goals are the best. I learned from the best leader that I’ve ever worked for that sometimes you need to set ‘ visionary’ goals – i.e., beyond what you think you can ever accomplish, and you may surprise yourself!”
Far from being satisfied with her accomplishments, Susan Hitchcock says she still has “places to go and things to do.”
“Thankfully, it’s not another rung on the ladder of success, but I do have some personal interests and passions - and maybe talents - to explore. One example would be more writing, e.g., a book or ‘booklet’ or maybe articles or a published column. Of course, I always want to do more to support other women in all fields of leadership.”
If you're as passionate about women's leadership as Susan, check out these stories:
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Men and women alike often claim to work in a gender neutral environment, but Elisabeth Kellan cites this perception as a symptom of gender fatigue - a trend in corporate America.
Katrina Daniel is an award-winning journalist and broadcast reporter/anchor. She has worked in Miami, Los Angeles, New York, and as a national correspondent for several networks. She commutes between Miami and the Carolinas, writing for magazines and news organizations. She lives with one horse, four dogs, and a cat.
