Dr. Suzsanne H. Singer was born in Vienna, Austria, and graduated with two Ph.D.’s from the University of Vienna. She grew up using a wheelchair with crutches, walkers and metal braces due to tuberculosis. By age 17, she was walking with a slight limp and went right on with her life. Her father was Jewish and, due to the war, she came to America and married a brilliant Harvard graduate, no longer living. She had two sons of her own and one adopted, racially different son who tragically drowned in 1991.

Dr. Singer has been active in mental health and education all her adult life. Her greatest accomplishment is the Singer Institute, which she founded. She was the live-in director and chief therapist, as well as house parent (along with her children) for severely disturbed adolescents. An outcome study by St. Louis University indicated unusually high success rate of autonomy achieved by her approximately 200 clients. Although she had to be confined to a wheelchair again twenty years ago, she insists that such difficulties make her stronger. Instead of a victim, she is determined to be a survivor. In 1999, Dr. Singer created “Community Cares.” This program trains volunteers who are seniors to become companions to the elderly in a nursing home. The program is working successfully. Her recent physical disability has not hindered her cognitive and intuitive leadership. Her ability to engender loyalty, trust and cohesiveness has kept the Singer extended family moving forward.