Susan Jeanne Mertz Founder

 

Before founding IMPACT! in 1991, Susan worked extensively with museums and nonprofits including the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of American History (Washington, D.C)]., Zoological Society of San Diego (San Diego, CA), Chrysler Museum of Art (Norfolk, VA), and San Diego Space and Science Foundation (San Diego, CA).

 

She completed her undergraduate work at Hood College, Frederick, MD, where she majored in biology and chemistry and obtained a Master of Arts in Teaching - Museum Education degree from George Washington University, Washington, DC.

 

Susan has offered strategies, pro bono, on fund raising and public relations tactics for a variety of non-profit organizations, and has participated in a wide variety of community service projects as a former member of the Junior League of San Diego, (CA) and Junior League of Charleston (SC).

 

Susan currently serves on the board of directors of Heritage Trust Federal Credit Union in Charleston, SC. She completed Leadership Charleston in 1997 and was named in several leading Who's Who in America editions.

 

Susan Mertz stays in public eye

 

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IMPACT! was established in California in 1991 as a primary learning education consulting firm.

 

In the early years, IMPACT!, assisted museum and informal education institutions with curriculum development, exhibit design, and hands-on, minds-on educational activity programs.  The company also expanded into capital campaign and annual giving fund raising.

 

IMPACT! successfully launched innovative programs that included:

 

Creating educational programs for members of the Zoological Society of San Diego (San Diego Zoo, San Diego, CA).

 

Creating and developing a supplemental curriculum on recycling for the City of Los Angeles, CA to comply with a new law to reduce landfill tonnage.

 

Authoring and publishing an interactive architecture work-fun book for tourists who visit Balboa Park in San Diego, CA.

 

Researching and developing a new interactive educational product for Fuketake Publishing Company (the largest publishing company in Japan, which produced highly sophisticated educational support publications).

 

Editing and reviewing the national curriculum draft for the National History Standards Project.

 

Developing hands-on activities for The Recycle Team©, a national curriculum of recycling, created by the Southwest Regional Development Laboratory, Torrance, CA.

 

IMPACT! relocated to Charleston, SC, in 1992.  Other successful projects included:

 

Developing a hands-on exhibit program for 18th century portraiture at the Gibbes Museum of Art (Charleston, SC), bringing new research development concepts from leading costume curators from Smithsonian Institution museums.

 

Teaching teachers in South Carolina how to use interactive manipulatives when teaching science and math during the science and math textbook adoption, as a consultant for Simon & Shuster.

 

Assisting numerous non profits in more than seven states as a capital campaign feasibility consultant as a representative of several professional fund raising firms.

 

Because of its impeccable reputation and extensive track record, the firm flourished. 

 

Armed with her extensive knowledge of non-profits and fund raising, and seeing an opportunity to assist small to large companies increase their market share with cost effective PR marketing strategies, Susan incorporated IMPACT! as a PR firm in 1998.  

 

She began to actively educate her clients on the benefits of cost effective marketing PR strategies tied to linking with non-profits organizations.  It proved a win-win situation . .  her client companies received recognition for being responsible corporate citizens and support of area non-profits grew.

 

 An impressive roster of clients agree, partnering with IMPACT! helped them accomplish their business goals with  insight, creativity, resourcefulness, and professionalism.