Raised with three siblings in Ville Saint-Laurent, Susan Stern attended Sir Winston Churchill High School, graduating in 1973. Her life-long love of music led to related studies and a career in music education. A second career saw her build and run some well-known Montreal eateries, including Bistro Westmount and Sternz Rhapsody in the Cavendish Mall. Twenty-one years ago, Stern embarked on her third career as the national executive director and CEO of Weizmann Canada, a registered charity and philanthropic arm of the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel. The Suburban recently spoke with the Westmount resident. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
The Suburban: What career goals did you have at the end of high school?
Susan Stern: I wanted to be a music teacher or a conductor. I always loved music. I had been on the stage performing since I was eight or nine and was on a CBC TV show called Tween Set when I was 12, playing guitar. I loved entertaining and I was always in the leadership role. Even as a student, I was the assistant conductor of our high school band.
The Suburban: What did your parents do for a living?
Stern: My mother was very resourceful. She taught herself how to become an artist, and she did sculptures. She also became a substitute teacher at our school. My dad worked at London Life until he passed away at age 90.
The Suburban: What did you do after high school?
Stern: I went to McGill University and got my Bachelor of Music. I studied conducting and school music, so you needed to learn one from each family of instruments: woodwind, brass, strings and percussion. I then did an education diploma so I could teach and then a master’s degree in educational administration.
The Suburban: What was your first career-focused job after McGill?
Stern: I taught music at Riverdale High School on the West Island. We built a successful music program, including concert bands, jazz bands and swing choirs. We travelled, won awards and it was really amazing to watch these students flourish.
The Suburban: What brought you to where you are today?
Stern: I have had a very interesting journey. From music teacher-conductor, I ended up consulting for the Ministry of Education for a year. Then I jumped into the restaurant business in 1986. When I left that in the early 2000s, I took on some strategic planning mandates in various companies and then was approached by Weizmann.
The Suburban: How did that opportunity come about?
Stern: The then-chair of the Weizmann board flew to Montreal to meet me, introduced by someone I knew. He had heard that I built connections and wanted me to build a presence for Weizman in Canada. He actually said, “I’m not taking no for an answer, even if I have to fly you to Israel.” I had heard of Weizmann, but I didn’t have any background in science, so I really needed to learn more. I did my research, then I went to the campus, and wow! It’s breathtakingly beautiful. I loved meeting scientists, hearing about their curiosity-driven research, and how impactful it is on a global scale. I couldn’t wait to tell the story in Canada. It’s 21 years later and I still feel the exact same way each day. It’s a privilege.
The Suburban: What does your role involve?
Stern: I don’t really consider myself a fundraiser. It’s more of a matchmaker: connecting people who want to make a difference with people who are working on solutions to big issues facing humanity. I have a board, a senior leadership team, and I get to meet incredible people from coast-to-coast.
The Suburban: What key people or factors have shaped your leadership approach?
Stern: One is my mom, who’s 99. She always said, “We’re blessed with two ears and one mouth, and we need to use them in that order.” I think that’s been a guiding principle for me. The second is to stay curious. Early in my career I thought leadership was about having expertise, having all the answers, and I’ve actually come to believe the opposite. I believe that the best leaders are the ones who ask great questions. So I’m curious about people, about perspectives different than my own, and curious enough to change my mind sometimes when the evidence changes. And the third thing is gratitude. To start and end each day with gratitude is another guiding principle of mine.
The Suburban: What are some of your biggest challenges?
Stern: There always will be challenges in any role. This is not new. Over the last decade, we’ve dealt with the pandemic, with geopolitical issues and a fragile stock market. There’s always going to be that defining moment, and I think for a leader, one of the hardest parts is resisting the temptation to believe you’ve seen it all. Every new challenge deserves fresh thinking and being resourceful.
The Suburban: What are the greatest rewards?
Stern: The amazing people I get to meet and work with, whether it’s scientists, donors from coast-to-coast, colleagues, everyone I’ve hired over the years. I’ve learned from all the people I’ve worked with over the years. When you meet with donors and you hear their journey, it’s just a real privilege. It’s hard to think of a better place for a curious mind. You know, I learn about people, about science every day, and I get to represent a world-leading institution. So, life is good. n