In The Last Word, we sit down with an industry expert to share their wealth of knowledge. In the July/August 2025 issue, the conversation features Susannah Gillespie, the VP of membership and recreation, at the Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg.
1. How did you get started in the community recreation industry?
SG: I was looking to reenter the workforce after taking time off for having my babies who are now 17 and 21. With my undergraduate degree in biology — and having used fitness to recover through injuries and bolster my postpartum mental health — teaching group fitness and becoming a personal trainer at my JCC was a wonderful experience to use my knowledge to help and educate others. When leadership roles became available, I absolutely loved being able to create change from within and help the next generations of staff develop their skills.
2. What’s been a key to your team’s success? What are you most proud of?
SG: I’m so incredibly blessed to work with individuals who are mission driven. Everyone shows up relentlessly wanting to serve. My pride comes from the conversations I have with them where we look at the challenges, look at each other and I can ask, “What do you want to do?” Then, I tell them to trust their answer. I get to be the leader I’ve always wanted to be with this team.
3. What has been one of the biggest accomplishments of your career?
SG: After completing my masters degree in leadership, I felt there was still more I wanted and needed to learn. I earned a scholarship to go back to school and fulfill a childhood dream. I’ll graduate next spring with my doctorate in public health, focusing on the wellness of care partners of individuals with Parkinson’s disease participating in community-based programs. My accomplishment is three-fold: my scholarship, completing my doctorate and helping care partners who are one of the most under-served and under-seen populations I work with.
4. What has been one of the biggest challenges you have faced in your career?
SG: I spent a long time in one role and poured my heart into that organization, people and programs. When I realized the opportunity for growth was no longer there, the decision to explore a new opportunity was difficult, but the right one. Leaving felt like walking off a cliff and then finally learning to fly.
5. What is one lesson you have learned that other community recreation professionals can learn from?
SG: I was lucky to work with Mark Young from Bless Our Workforce and learned so much. He imparted on me the importance of building around your talent. If you have the right people on your team, be sure to challenge and champion them. This is critical in our teams — develop people within your organization and upskill them.
6. Tell us one fact about yourself others may not know.
SG: Before I trained people, I trained dolphins and seals as a marine mammal trainer intern at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland. I tell everyone if you get the chance in life to do something amazing, do it. You’ll always learn from the experience.
