Ten years ago, the Library of Professional Coaching established the Gordon Lee Salmon Sustainable Leadership Award, in appreciative memory of our dear friend, Lee, an exceptional colleague who contributed to the sustainable leadership of the coaching profession. Lee passed away after serving as one of the leaders of the professional coaching movement of the first two decades of the 21^st century. Lee was noted for his stewardship of this field and for always pointing to the ultimate purpose of an effective professional coaching practice – sustaining our world.

While Suzi has played a major role in establishing this award and honoring people who deserve it, it is also important to recognize that Suzi Pomerantz herself is fully deserving of being a recipient of this honor. On April 6, 2024, Suzi Pomerantz received this award in recognition of her work as a steward of the field of professional coaching and her ongoing support for all activities that can lead to a sustainable world.

Following is a recording of this Zoom-based celebration, where her colleagues, clients, family and friends shared comments on the impact of Suzi’s work and presence.  If you prefer to read the transcript, there is a small icon on the bottom of the video screen that you can click to access the transcript of the ceremony.

The Gordon Lee Salmon Sustainable Leadership Award Ceremony that celebrates the life and work of Suzi Pomerantz began with the following comments made by Agnes Mura (previous recipient of the Salmon Award):

I was honored to receive the Lee Salmon Sustainable leadership award in 2022. For context: I had met Lee during our young spiritual quest to become the best humans we could be.  He would become a health physicist for the EPA, and an executive coach supporting fed. government staff in DC. Suzi and many others here today remember him for helping us build the International Consortium for Coaching in Organizations (ICCO), as a board member with unwavering belief in the transformative power of coaching.

Our friend Lee Salmon passed away ten years ago. The award in his name was created to recognize the lifetime achievement of coaches like Suzi Pomerantz, who guarantee the sustained continuity of our profession, thanks to a solid spiritual foundation (“done the work”), profound caring for others’ success, and a contagiously collaborative generosity towards their colleagues of different generations. Lee would be very proud of the way we all came together today – as friends – in appreciation for the tireless and inspiring Suzi Pomerantz.  —Agnes Mura, MA MCC

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Commentary

More than 20 of the roughly 40 participants who dropped in and out during the ceremony from around the world spoke up regarding their connection to, and experience of Suzi.  On the next pages are a dozen written comments and a video that were submitted by those who could not attend the celebration.  Feel free to add your comments in the section below called “leave a reply”.

Commemorative Bowl

In conjunction with the Zoom-based celebration pictured above and in the Photo Gallery on page 3, a commemorative bowl was given to the recipient, Suzi Pomerantz. As described by Dr. Jeannine Sandstrom, “there’s a lot of thought that goes into that. Within this particular time frame that we’ve heard so many wonderful comments about you, so much truth, we wanted an open bowl — an open container that every time you look at that you know all these statements and all this love is sitting in it.”

Written Comments

In addition, some written comments were made by Suzi’s clients, friends and colleagues (who were unable to attend the April 6 event):

Suzi was the first coach to welcome me to DC and she’s never stopped welcoming me.  Suzi is endlessly supportive of individual coaches, like me, of the coaching community, and of the coaching profession as a whole.  With her love, kindness, and support, Suzi embodies what it means to be a coach. Congratulations Suzi.  I love you. – Alison Whitmire

Suzi’s unique blend of empathy, expertise, and intuitive understanding of human and organizational dynamics does more than just make her a great coach: it makes her a trusted confidant, a collaborator, and with a healthy dose of her mischievousness, a humorous co-conspirator. She can reframe any discussion within the grand arc of the human experience, and then laugh together at the absurdity of our ambitions. It’s disarming. She penetrates conceits and helps us build on a foundation of our true selves. It has been a sincere privilege to have been a fellow traveler, and I offer her my admiration and gratitude. — Chris Lunt

My gratitude for Suzi: Suzi is a force. I would not be where I am today as a leader without her coaching and care. We met during an accelerator at a point where I was struggling. Then COVID hit. Through the ups and downs of rising to meet the needs of COVID, navigating organizational growth, and reckoning with the type of leader I wanted/want to be, Suzi was a source of insight, perspective, and compassion. She was a partner in looking at sticky situations, providing tools that helped me unstick myself and thus the organization. I am forever grateful for Suzi and am thrilled that her work is being acknowledged with this award. I only wish I could be there in person to give her a huge hug – something that despite working together for years, we’ve never done! Suzi, thank you from the bottom of my heart for being you and being in my life. all the best. — Jaime-Alexis Fowler

For the past 13 years, Suzi has not just been my Executive Coach, she’s been my voice of reason, my shoulder, my lens of clarity, and my friend.  She’s helped me through dark times, helped me see myself in a new and more forgiving way, and she’s helped shape the way I think, interact, support, and lead.  I’m grateful for her wisdom and knowledge, but mostly for her support and kindness.  Suzi is incredibly deserving of this award, and I’m so thankful that she made her way into my life, as she changed it for the better, and helped drive it down a better path.  Congratulations to Suzi! — Jen Levithan

Suzi Pomerantz is indeed a very special person and a true pioneer and leader. I am so delighted you are celebrating Suzi’s contributions and accomplishments, and we are lucky to have her in the coaching community! Warmest wishes. — Karlin Sloan

It is not surprising to me in any way that Suzi Pomerantz is being given this award, which I guess says something in and of itself. Her work with me helped me to find a path to thriving during a time in which, although it looked to the outside world that I was thriving, I was really only barely surviving. She was my coach, my cheerleader, and my friend equally. The reverberations of her sessions with me still vibrate in the threads of my life. Congratulations, Suzi! — Kellee Santiago

Suzi and I raise kids together and share life events as family.  She has always been my beautiful, steadfast, accepting, loving, giving human on every level.  I feel so fortunate to have met her almost 20 years ago and continue to feel grateful for the time we spent together.  Can’t want to see what the next 20 years and beyond look together as family, as memory keepers. — Lori Marshall

Suzi – my fellow coach, cherished friend, and a source of constant inspiration to me and so many others. While I am sorry I cannot be part of today’s celebration, I am thrilled that you are being recognized for your leadership in the coaching profession over 3 plus decades. Your commitment to constantly elevating our profession, protecting its integrity and promoting its power to transform leaders and the world has made you a more than worthy recipient of this honor.  With heartfelt admiration and deep gratitude, — Margie Warrell

Suzy stands out in our coaching community as a leader and supporter for us all trying to make a difference in our world. Her consistent commitment to enlightening and developing the worldwide coaching community is awe-inspiring. She is always there to help. Her wisdom is deep. I am proud to be a colleague of Suzi Pomerantz. — Marcia Reynolds

Suzi is a dear friend and we have shared so many wonderful conversations, meals and much more over two decades. Suzi has always been a gentle and keen listener and has helped me tremendously in my personal and professional journey. I always look up to her and admire her willingness to offer unconditional support and appreciate her insightful approach to resolving issues without any judgement.  Suzi deserves this recognition more than anyone else I know. So proud of you Suzi!! Wishing you all the best now and always. — Padma Ayyagari

Beyond a brilliant coach, Suzi is a cheerleader – as in this game of life you need both. Suzi is one of the most generous and kind people I know, and her heart shines through in every interaction. I admire (and adore) her uncanny ability to wrap her advice in amazing visual metaphors that stay with you long after the conversation has ended. Her guidance is never generic; it’s always profoundly thoughtful and meticulously tailored to your unique situation. Suzi’s impact on my life is immeasurable, and I am deeply grateful for her wisdom, support, and friendship. She deserves ALL the awards, and I am so glad that today she is presented with this one. Thank you once again! Warm regards.  — Yana Buhrer Tavanier

My husband, myself and a dear friend were all driving to a friend’s wedding at Lake Anna about 15 years ago.  The entire trip, they were raving about a fellow coach, Suzi Pomerantz.  And finally, I was going to get to meet her.  I’m pretty sure I went up to her and said “so you are the great, amazing coach, Suzi.  I have heard about you for years. I had a lovely time at the wedding and Suzi and I bonded nicely and decided to meet for coffee monthly, which we did for years.  Not only was she a special treasured friend, but she always asked me about my business and then proceeded to give me brilliant ideas that always made an enormous positive difference.  I definitely got to see why my husband and friend bragged about her all the time.  I got on the Suzi, Coach extraordinaire bandwagon easily, in addition to my very special relationship as “friend”.  — Bev Nerenberg

I’m so sorry I didn’t get a chance to say something today at your very beautiful celebration of you getting the Lee Salmon Award. You so deserve it. But I wanted to say Suzi, in a world of hype, you’re the real thing. In a world of loneliness, you’re a friend to people. Today is obvious. In a world of kind of pretense posturing, you’re the authentic, deep resource. In a world where people just say whatever, you speak the truth. You’re a truth-teller. And I think actually there’s so much about your goodness, but I want to say, you know, when I reflect on you, one of the things that you do is you do really transform darkness into light. You’re a darkness transformer, and that’s how you alchemically remove the poisons around you and lighten the burden for others. So I revere you. I admire you. I’m sorry I didn’t speak for you today. My Zoom things were not working. No signals were working. I don’t know why, but I have so much love and respect and admiration and can’t even tell you, and you deserve every piece of goodness. Mazel Tov, you are the mensch of not only the moment- of all moments, and you deserve today. And I hope you are sitting and absorbing and letting all of your telomeres kvell from the goodness you received. And your kids, they should just always be protected and reflect their love to you because they were so proud for you today. Appropriately so. Lots of love. Many thanks for somehow including me. It was an honor.  —Dorothy Siminovitch

For more written comments, visit Suzi’s website.

Finally, a video recording was provided by Dr. Steve Gladis:

Photo Gallery