Meet Susan

Susan Schmaeling, APR, is the principal of Susan Schmaeling Public Relations, a consultancy which serves a client portfolio of non-profit and cultural organizations. She offers clients her extensive background in project development, strategic planning, arts marketing, media relations, and crisis communications.  A selection from her most notable projects includes the development and implementation of the public relations and marketing campaign for the 1998 Houston presentation of the international touring exhibition, Robert Rauschenberg: A Retrospective; as well as the public relations and outreach campaign for the highly anticipated Museum District Day since 1999.

Susan has designed and implemented institutional public relations and marketing programs for Houston Chamber Choir; CORE Performance Company, and Houston Metropolitan Dance Company.   Before starting her consultancy in 1997, she served as the Public Relations and Marketing Director of the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston for more than eight years.  A native of New Jersey, Schmaeling graduated with a B.A. in Communications from Douglass College, Rutgers University.

Committed to furthering the development and future of the field, Susan served on the Board of Directors of the Public Relations Foundation of Houston from 2005-10 in leadership roles including Board President and Vice-President.  She has been a member of the Houston chapter of the Public Relations Society of America since 1990 and served on the Board of Directors as an Assembly Delegate from 2005-08.  Susan was accredited by the Public Relations Society of America in 1993.  She has received numerous professional awards including the highest honors from the American Association of Museums and the Texas Association of Museums; and a Silver Award from the Baton Rouge Advertising Association.

Susan serves on the 2011-2012  St. Agnes Academy Advancement Committee with her husband Thomas Pielech.