In 1983 Susan was invited to a party at the home of Ginna Dunn and her son, Patrick, who she had met a few weeks earlier. She and Patrick married in 1986 and purchased the property from Ginna in March 1991. She enjoyed living next to Uncle Ed Dunn during the last six months of his life. The rest is history.

Susan served in the 10-99 Foundation and Behind the Badge Foundation as Board Member and Treasurer. She chaired the Construction Committee for the Law Enforcement Memorial on the Capitol campus in Olympia. She was an advisor/staff director for many state level boards while in state service.

She co-owned two small retail businesses in the 1970s and early 1980s while also employed in state government. She held management or staff consultant roles from Olympia headquarters for 25 of her 30 years in state government before she retired in 2001. Since then she has served as Vice-President of the public affairs consulting firm she owns with Pat Dunn.