A native New Yorker, Susan's love of art and design was cultivated at an early age. Her grandfather, George E. Minton, was the Lead Architect for the City of New York Department of Marine and Aviation. Susan would accompany him to his office on a regular basis, where he allowed her to play with his hand made scale models and drafting tools. In him, she had an incredible mentor, as his many architectural achievements include the 1962 World's Fair; the remaining structures at Flushing Meadow Park and City of the Future Exhibit, LaGuardia and JFK International Airports, Pier 42 in Manhattan and all of Gimbel's Department Stores.