[2] She served from 2013 to 2016 as the director of the US Department of State Art in Embassies Program,[3] a public-private partnership of American and international artists, collectors, galleries, foundations, museums and universities.
[15] Filmed on location throughout the country, the program featured interviews with prominent and professionally diverse guests, including Chris Evert, Frances Beinecke, Nell Merlino, Janet Gurwitch, Cindy Pawlcyn, Consuelo Mack, Eileen Collins, Sue Naegle, Kuki Gallman, Kavita Ramdas, Maria Blanco and Dana Buchman.
[19] Susman collaborated with museum curator Anne Wilkes Tucker to create the Carol Spencer Mitchell Photographic Archive, which consists of approximately 60,000 photos and is housed at the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.
[20] Susman has served on the Boards of Annie's List, National Jewish Democratic Council,[21] American Leadership Forum in Houston, Recipe for Success,[22] the Texas Tribune, the Democracy Alliance, and the Blanton Museum of Art.
[24] She currently serves on the board of trustees of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C.[25] In 2013, Susman co-founded The Texas Future Project, a fund-raising corporation that focuses on policy as well as politics.
[28] During her tenure as director at Art In Embassies, Susman focused on developing innovative new partnerships in both the public and private sectors expanding the profile, collection, and outreach efforts; bringing artists to South Africa, Rome,[29] Berlin, London, Bern, Doha and The Hague, among others; forming partnerships with the Institute of American Indian Arts to create a portfolio of work for new American Embassies; and furthering Ambassadors' outreach in their respective host country communities.