Susanna Blankley has 15 years of tenant and labor organizing experience. Currently, she is the Coalition Coordinator for the Right to Counsel NYC Coalition, which is made up of more than 45 tenant advocate groups, tenant organizing groups, faith based groups, academics, and legal services providers throughout New York City. While the Director of CASA, Susanna helped form the coalition in 2014, launching a campaign to pass legislation making it a right for tenants to have an attorney when facing eviction. The legislation became law in August 2017. Her current work focuses on expansion and implementation of the legislation and using this win to build a larger movement. Susanna began her work as a Labor Organizer in Puerto Rico, and has been organizing for safe and affordable housing in New York City since 2009. She has taught community organizing at the City College of New York and the Center for Worker Education. She currently teaches an Advanced Community Organizing Class through the Center for Community Leadership.
Susanna has worked to advance Women’s Rights in Ecuador, New York City and Kenya. She received her undergraduate degree from Columbia University and her Masters in Intercultural Service, Leadership and Management from the SIT Graduate Institute.