Susan Berston

Susan Berston, a San Francisco native and a business professor at City College of San Francisco, brings a unique perspective to the fundraising efforts of EYES OF MEL ODOM. She began her professional career in finance at Union Bank (Bank of Tokyo), then as a sales executive with a major commercial printing company, R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company – which gives her deep appreciation into Mel Odom’s inspiring commercial art career and distinctive body of work.

Recent projects include SALLY!, the multi-award-winning documentary about firebrand radical feminist Sally Gearhart. Currently involved in an oral history project of older Bay Area lesbians on film, Susan has a profound appreciation for preserving the rich narratives of LGBTQ+ artists like Mel Odom, who shaped cultural history by breaking barriers and creating space for unapologetic queer aesthetics in commercial illustration and mainstream media.

Email: sberston@ccsf.edu