About

Suzanne J. Forbes is an award-winning school leader, national presenter, and the author of The Guiding Principal: When Teachers Succeed, Students Succeed. Her upcoming book, The Seven Levels of Teacher Growth: A Practical Guide to the Hierarchy of Teacher Professional Development, builds on over two decades of experience supporting teachers and transforming schoolwide systems for growth.

Known to most as Sue, she’s a straight-talking, teacher-centered leader who believes educator support should feel empowering—not evaluative. While she calls Maui home, Sue works closely with school leaders and instructional coaches across the country, helping them turn professional learning into real growth. She’s a trusted facilitator with a knack for translating big ideas into clear, sustainable systems. Whether she’s leading a school, coaching a coach, or writing her next blog, Sue is guided by one core belief: When teachers succeed, students succeed.