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Meet Su Byron

September 9, 2026

Meet Second Heart Homes volunteer, Su Byron 

  • What inspired you to work in your current field (content creation, PR, marketing) I started out in journalism many years ago; in fact, I was the obit writer at the Sarasota Herald-Tribune for a few years! In 1990, my friend, Marty Fugate, and I started the Sarasota Arts Review, a monthly newspaper that covered area arts and cultural goings-on. We had a blast and loved every minute of it! When we closed it 10 years later, PR seemed like a natural next step so I quickly adapted to being on the other side of the edit desk as a publicist. 
  • What does a typical day look like for you? 6 a.m.: Strong coffee and the New York Times’ Spelling Bee and Strands; I enjoy a peaceful morning ritual. By 7 a.m., I am at my desk. As a freelancer, I never know how much work I will have. Some days it’s slow; others are hectic! I try to get to the gym and around 5 p.m., I stop to cook, which is something I love to do. One of the reasons I love working with Second Heart Homes is thinking about its residents—knowing they, too, can enjoy a quiet morning and cooking in the evening. 
  • What is your favorite part of working with nonprofit clients? I think it’s knowing that my work has a purpose. I’m behind the scenes, but when a story gets picked up or an organization gets the attention it deserves, I feel like I had a small part in helping. And I’ve met some wonderful people doing this work. 
  • What are hobbies you enjoy doing? Cooking, photography, movies (I was once a professional film critic) and walking my Westie, Finn! I’ve also written poetry for most of my life, although these days I spend more time thinking about writing poetry than actually writing it. And I love cities. There’s something wonderful about being anonymous in a city, sitting in a café and watching the world go by. I love observing people and imagining their stories. 
  • What would you like our donors, supporters, volunteers, and residents to know about you? That working with Second Heart Homes means a lot to me. I work with a number of wonderful nonprofits, but there’s something about the mission of Second Heart Homes that deeply touches me. A home is such a basic thing—and yet it means safety, privacy, dignity and the ability to have ordinary moments that most of us take for granted. Many years ago, I found myself without a place to live for a while, so I know what it is like to have nowhere to feel safe. Even now, one of the first things I do when I wake up is say, “Thank you for letting me have this bed.” I’m very proud to play even a small role in helping tell those stories and letting more people in our community know about the work Second Heart Homes does. 

Website: https://subyronenterprises.com/ 

  

Illustration of Su at work writing in a café—by Marty Fugate.