Susan Earabino

A native of Newport, Rhode Island, Susan Earabino chose Boston for college, attending Simmons University where she earned a degree in public relations. Her interest in emerging technology led her to land a position with Regis McKenna, the pioneering marketing consultant and Steve Jobs’s mentor who launched the Macintosh computer and made firms like Intel, Lotus, Microsoft, and Electronic Arts household names.

Silicon Valley was booming, and soon Susan was running client accounts—one of whom hired her away. At Lotus Development, she conceived and ran communication campaigns for dozens of product launches. Then, the concept for Milestone, a product ideation agency, was born. Susan and her agency partner worked with senior leaders in the tech and consumer goods industries to bring the “next great thing” to market with focus groups, research, and then the branding and positioning associated with the product’s introduction. But the constant travel was a grind, and she was seeking a change.

Susan’s dream to attend culinary school was realized with acceptance to two highly regarded programs. However, a chance to learn in “real time” instead put her in the kitchen of one of the consistently ranked best Italian restaurants in Boston. The executive chef took her under his wing and trained her as sous chef. A conversation with a longtime guest led her to explore private-event planning and creating over-the-top experiences, including a themed dinner party around a menu from ancient Rome.

Building on her newfound love for events and celebrations, she pursued the role full-time. She was attracted to the operations side of hospitality, including large-scale event planning, budgeting, and growing the bottom line. The results made her valuable, and she later oversaw sales and event management at three major event venues and a team of 10 at Longwood Events in Boston before becoming Director of Sales & Marketing for Himmel Hospitality Group, which operated four of the city’s most decorated restaurants. At Himmel, she spearheaded a successful dining series where chefs and farmers collaborated to create one-of-a-kind dinners.

When her son was accepted to Boston Arts Academy high school as a musician and performer, plans were already on the drawing board to build a new $30 million school behind Fenway Park. Susan joined the Academy’s Foundation as Director of Corporate Relations and Events, planning creative events to drive the Foundation’s successful fundraising campaigns for school programming, scholarships, and the new building. It was a way to support the school that had encouraged her son—who is now studying at Berklee College of Music—to thrive.

This deep connection to Boston made the prospect of relocating a tough one, but Susan felt drawn to Southall. Upon visiting the property and meeting the team, she knew the mission was her calling and felt that same sense of place and connection to the guiding principles.

Having conceived and brought to life memorable moments in ballrooms, skyscrapers, and fields; on boats; and inside construction zones, Susan looks forward to creating extraordinary events for Southall guests. The 325-acre Southall canvas offers unlimited potential for one-of-a-kind events. Whether it’s a record release party or gala, an executive leadership retreat, an elegant wedding, or a hike to the hilltop for a multi-course meal under the stars, Susan will help ensure the logistics are handled, the food and beverage are sublime, the execution is flawless, and the memories are lasting.