Susanne Byrne has served as Executive Director of the York Street Project since July of 2009. With a one year hiatus, serving as the Homeless Planning Coordinator for Hudson County, Sue spent the 10 years prior with The Project. She served as the Caseworker/Advocate for St. Joseph’s Home from 2000 to 2008 and as the Assistant to the Director of The Nurturing Place from 1998-2000. The mission of the York Street Project is to weave innovative programs that shelter, feed, educate and promote the healing and independence of persons in need, especially women, children and families. As Executive Director, Susanne oversees the operations of an emergency shelter and Rapid Rehousing Program for homeless families, a rooming house for low-income single women, an alternative high school and an early childhood development center. These programs are designed to take a holistic approach to addressing the needs of those who are homeless and living in poverty. You will often hear her say, homelessness is not just a housing problem, it is complex and as such needs flexible and holistic solutions. Currently, Susanne is member of the Hudson County Human Services Advisory Council, Hudson County Alliance to End Homelessness, the Hudson County Affordable Housing Coalition, the Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey, The New Jersey Coalition to End Homelessness and the Antipoverty Network of New Jersey. Within these groups, she serves on a variety of Executive Boards and sub-committees advocating for the poor.
Susanne Byrne is a member of the Hudson County Workforce Leadership Academy, Class of 2019-2020, one of several Workforce Leadership Academies in localities across North America.
The Workforce Leadership Academies are part of the Economic Opportunity Fellows Network, a network of leadership and fellowship programs run by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program. Within this Network, EOP connects national and local leaders from across sectors — nonprofit, government, business, philanthropy, academia, and more — to advance policies and practices with the potential to help low- and moderate-income Americans thrive in today’s economy. Learn more at as.pn/eofn.
If this is your bio and you would like to revise or update it, please contact eop.program@aspeninstitute.org.