2013 Honoree

Dr. Suzan Johnson Cook

Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom

“Stay focused. Follow your heart and spirit. You can have it all, but not all at once.”

What city best describes your personality?

New York City.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever ignored, and the worst advice you’ve ever taken?

Taken: I shouldn’t go to college. (By my guidance counselor)
Ignored: Dreams don’t have an expiration date.

What is your best read? What book would you want to be a character in?

Too Blessed to be Stressed; Words of Wisdom for Women on the Move (Nelson).

How do you define power? Do you enjoy it? How do you live with your success?

Power is being able to make choices for your own life and lead by example.

When do we stop asking questions about gender equality? When will it be Power People instead of Power Women? Is gender more important than politics?

Never. Yes.

What do you think of social media?

It is a necessity of this generation. The internet can have a multiplier effect.

What’s one place you’ve always wanted to visit on your travels?

The Fiji Islands.

When sending a child out to see the world for the first time, where would you send them?

To the South–-to see life with its greatest values of family, faith, and friendships.

What advice would you give to a young woman starting out?

Stay focused. Follow your heart and spirit. You can have it all, but not all at once.