After five years as a key member of the Board of Trustees, Austin Opera elected Susanne Tetzlaff, J.D. as our new Board Chair. Susanne’s contributions as legal counsel, a member of the Development Committee, the Austin Opera Endowment Board, as Chair-Elect and as a member of our Leadership Giving Circle have played a significant role in getting Austin Opera to this historic juncture in our 35-year history.
Susanne graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Texas/Austin in Plan II in 1989 before earning joint degrees in law and public affairs from the University of Texas Law School and the LBJ School of Public Affairs in 1993.
During law school, she worked for Congressman J.J. Pickle, the Office of the Attorney General/Special Litigation, and the FBI. For a year following graduation, Susanne clerked for Texas Supreme Court Justice Rose B. Spector, and then entered private practice at the Houston boutique law firm Wickliff & Hall, where she worked in the labor and employment section. Upon moving back to Austin, she worked for Cole & Powell for several years before taking time off to raise a family. She is currently the Practice Manager & Chief Financial Director at Cardiac Clinic of Austin.
Susanne’s community involvement is extensive. She has served as both Vice President and President for the Travis County Medical Alliance; Vice President for the Texas Medical Association Alliance, the Woman’s Symphony League, and the Austin Symphony Orchestra Endowment Advisory Board; and as an Ambassador for the Bernstein 100 celebration and Conspirare’s Hidden Music Fundraising Committee.
She and her husband Dr. Eric Tiblier are the proud parents of two daughters. Her hobbies include reading, cooking, traveling and, of course, the arts.
“The future of Austin Opera is bright,” says General Director & CEO Annie Burridge, “and we count ourselves very fortunate that she’ll be the one to lead our extremely enthusiastic and dedicated board during this exciting time in the company’s history.”
