Susan Musante

Executive Director - Soteria-Alaska, Inc.

Anchorage

Sabbatical Award Year: 2012

Organization Description

Soteria-Alaska was modeled after the original Soteria House in San Jose, Calif. It was designed to prevent people who experience a first psychotic break from being put on powerful drugs that organizers said would transform them "into chronic, disabled mental patients." Soteria-Alaska eventually closed.

At the time of her sabbatical, Susan Musante managed two nonprofits, Soteria-Alaska and CHOICES, providing services to individuals diagnosed with serious mental illness. She became Soteria executive director when funding had only been secured for six months of operations. Under her leadership, Soteria expanded with a fivefold increase in funding. Musante planned to use her sabbatical to visit family and friends, and to travel.