Suzanne Zadeh

Director of Development

Suzanne's journey in community development spans from the depths of the Pacific Ocean to the heart of Africa, shaping her into a changemaker and source of inspiration. Her global experiences working across founders and venture capital ecosystems, alongside collaborations with international partners, including supporting educational initiatives in Malawi and co-leading youth camps in Cameroon with professional athletes, have cultivated a perspective she brings to her role as Director of Development at Waves of Grief Collective. 

During the challenging times of the pandemic, her resourcefulness and passion for the ocean led her to cultivate a community in Linda Mar. Starting each day with a rejuvenating sunrise surf in Pacifica, she connected with the women's surf community in Half Moon Bay. Volunteering her time, Suzanne discovered a fulfilling, healing, and authentic community of incredible women, empowering each other to find strength through riding the waves. The ocean, acting as Suzanne's teacher, playground, and healer, offers metaphors that extend from sea to land.  

She believes grief has many shapes and that her work in grief support reflects her core values. In our circle, every person comes in carrying something different — the loss of a person, a homeland, a dream, an identity, a chapter of life. And we hold all of that with no judgment. It's one of the few spaces where you can show up exactly as you are. Raw, emotional, quiet, loud… all versions are welcome. It's safe, it's honest, and it's deeply human.

Surfing and being in nature help us remember that grief isn't something to 'fix.' It's something we learn to live with, something that shapes us, and something that can even connect us.

That's why this circle matters so much to me. We heal together. We share waves, we share stories, and we remind each other that grief doesn't make us broken — it makes us human."

Being a giver, serving the community, and helping others comes naturally to me, and I feel it deep in my bones. It is part of my identity, ingrained in my blood, and every moment spent working with my team is a cherished opportunity to foster a happy and healthy community. I invite you to join us in creating a safe space where individuals feel heard, encouraged, and supported. Together, we make lasting, human-centered waves of impact.

Waves of gratitude,

Suzanne