Learn More About My Work
Speaking
Susan speaks on identity, transitions, and the human experience of change, helping organizations support people through complex life and career disruptions.
When everything that defines us is stripped away, what remains?
At the height of her career as the Chief People Officer of a Fortune 500 company, Susan Miele had built the life she once imagined: professional success, a strong marriage, and a home filled with promise. Her career wasn’t just what she did; it was who she was. But when a series of unexpected disruptions—physical, emotional, and circumstantial—began to unravel the stability she had worked so hard to achieve, the foundation of her identity shattered.
What followed was a profound reckoning. No longer tethered by titles, roles, and the visible markers of success, she was left confronting a deeper question: Who am I when everything I thought defined me is gone?
Blending memoir, theory, and storytelling, ‘Paused offers a candid exploration of identity—how it is built, dismantled, and continually remade. Drawing from lived experience and research, Miele explores how moments of rupture, whether professional, personal, or biological, reshape our sense of self and illuminate the narratives that no longer hold us.
‘Paused illustrates the universal struggle to find meaning when certainty disappears, showing that wholeness is never permanent but provisional, something we create, lose, and reassemble again and again. Clear, candid, and deeply relatable, this book invites readers to reflect on their own evolving identities and consider how meaning, purpose, and self-understanding can be rewritten at every stage of life.
When everything that defines us is stripped away, what remains?
At the height of her career as the Chief People Officer of a Fortune 500 company, Susan Miele had built the life she once imagined: professional success, a strong marriage, and a home filled with promise. Her career wasn’t just what she did; it was who she was. But when a series of unexpected disruptions—physical, emotional, and circumstantial—began to unravel the stability she had worked so hard to achieve, the foundation of her identity shattered.
What followed was a profound reckoning. No longer tethered by titles, roles, and the visible markers of success, she was left confronting a deeper question: Who am I when everything I thought defined me is gone?
Blending memoir, theory, and storytelling, ‘Paused offers a candid exploration of identity—how it is built, dismantled, and continually remade. Drawing from lived experience and research, Miele explores how moments of rupture, whether professional, personal, or biological, reshape our sense of self and illuminate the narratives that no longer hold us.
‘Paused illustrates the universal struggle to find meaning when certainty disappears, showing that wholeness is never permanent but provisional, something we create, lose, and reassemble again and again. Clear, candid, and deeply relatable, this book invites readers to reflect on their own evolving identities and consider how meaning, purpose, and self-understanding can be rewritten at every stage of life.
When everything that defines us is stripped away, what remains?
At the height of her career as the Chief People Officer of a Fortune 500 company, Susan Miele had built the life she once imagined: professional success, a strong marriage, and a home filled with promise. Her career wasn’t just what she did; it was who she was. But when a series of unexpected disruptions—physical, emotional, and circumstantial—began to unravel the stability she had worked so hard to achieve, the foundation of her identity shattered.
What followed was a profound reckoning. No longer tethered by titles, roles, and the visible markers of success, she was left confronting a deeper question: Who am I when everything I thought defined me is gone?
Blending memoir, theory, and storytelling, ‘Paused offers a candid exploration of identity—how it is built, dismantled, and continually remade. Drawing from lived experience and research, Miele explores how moments of rupture, whether professional, personal, or biological, reshape our sense of self and illuminate the narratives that no longer hold us.
‘Paused illustrates the universal struggle to find meaning when certainty disappears, showing that wholeness is never permanent but provisional, something we create, lose, and reassemble again and again. Clear, candid, and deeply relatable, this book invites readers to reflect on their own evolving identities and consider how meaning, purpose, and self-understanding can be rewritten at every stage of life.
My Book
Blending memoir, theory, and story telling, 'Paused offers a candid exploration of identity, how it is uilt, dismantled, and continually remade.
Coming Spring 2026.
Advising
Drawing on decades of executive leadership experience, Susan provides strategic advisory to organizations navigating growth, transition, and cultural change.
Her work supports leaders seeking to align people, performance and purpose.
My Vision
A world where people are supported while navigating transitions, rewriting their stories, and evolving to who they might yet become.
What They're Saying
The M Word: Menopause in the Workplace discussion with Susan was a fantastic experience for our company. This 60-minute virtual session created an inclusive space to explore the impact of perimenopause and menopause on our employees. Susan's engaging approach gave us practical insights to foster a supportive workplace culture. We left feeling informed and inspired to normalize the menopause conversation at work. This session is a must for any organization striving for inclusivity and well-being.
Large Insurance Company's Women’s Resource Group
Susan’s presentation on menopause in the workplace for Thrive HR was life-changing. I had been struggling with severe perimenopausal symptoms affecting both my work and personal life. Her talk not only deepened my understanding of menopause and treatment options but also inspired me to try hormone replacement therapy, which has since transformed my well-being. Thanks to Susan's expertise and compassionate approach, I feel empowered and finally in control of my health. I'm incredibly grateful for her positive impact on my life.
Thrive HR
Event Participant
Thank you for sharing your journey in such beautiful writing. Your words on the challenges of menopause resonated deeply, capturing feelings I struggled to articulate. I recently started HRT and am feeling relief, yet it’s still a journey. Reading your Substack piece, along with the growing conversation around menopause, has eased the self-doubt and self-gaslighting I’ve wrestled with for years. Your opening quote, 'What you are now is what you have been. What you will be is what you do now,' stays with me daily. Thank you for this gift.
Substack
Reader
How do life’s transitions reshape our identity, and how can we embrace them with grace, gratitude, and joy?
Read my Substack to find out. From navigating menopause to embracing personal and professional growth, discover engaging stories, thoughtful reflections, and tools to live authentically and thrive in every stage of life.
Challenging Narratives. Reclaiming Identity. Inspiring Change.
Writing, speaking and exploring
identity through life's transitions.
