FIYou profile: Susan Gladstone ’76

Name: Susan Gladstone ’76

Hometown: Coral Gables

Job Title/Department: Activation Director, Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival; Instructor, School of Hospitality and Tourism Management

Campus: Biscayne Bay Campus

In a nutshell: I oversee the logistics for restaurants, exhibitors and sponsors participating in the Grand Tasting of the Wine & Food Festival, as well as for recruitment and management of all student associate volunteers. In addition, I teach special event management in the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. In terms of the festival, we build an entire city on the beach. From scratch. I am responsible for everything the sponsors design, bring, cook, deliver, set up, etc., at the event. What will they be doing in their space – pouring wine? Serving food? Having a cooking demonstration? And then there is the detailed infrastructure plan – Do they need electricity? If so, how much? Do they have truck deliveries? When and how many? Do they need to rent equipment? Where, and what? Do they need kitchen space, volunteer help, refrigerator space, storage space, plants? I work with the sponsors to design their plans and implement them at the site. There are 100 restaurants and 40 exhibitors.

Number of years at FIU: I have worked on the festival for 10 years, since it began, first as a consultant and full-time since April 2007. I have taught as an adjunct professor for five years.

What do you enjoy most about your job? I love the enthusiasm and spirit of the students.

What do you think faculty/staff and students should know about your department? That there are more than 850 students involved in all aspects of the planning, production and management of the world-class event that is the Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival.

Where is your favorite spot on campus? Why? The patio of the HM building: The view over the water and the bay breezes are very calming.

Family snapshot: I have a 27-year-old son, George, and a 22-year-old daughter, Jennifer. I jokingly refer to the wine festival as my “third child.”

Word that best describes you: Dedicated.

First paying job: My degree is in social work and my first job after receiving my MSW was as a family therapist.

Favorite TV show: “Law & Order.”

Your proudest accomplishment: Personally, the fact that my adult children are great friends with each other. Professionally, the success of the Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival.

What do you do when you are not working at FIU? I am an avid reader and I love to travel.