BISR’s Next Chapter

Brooklyn Institute for Social Research is pleased to announce the appointment of Suzanne Schneider to the role of Executive Director. In addition to her work as a writer and scholar, Suzy has been part of the BISR faculty since 2014 and served as Deputy Director from 2015-2025.  In particular, Suzy spearheaded the Institute’s 2015 program expansion and built much of the financial and operational infrastructure required for a non-profit organization. She combines dedication to BISR’s founding mission with fresh energy to achieve its growth and long-term sustainability goals. Suzy’s impact in the new role is already being felt, with a record 218 classes scheduled to be taught this year with more students than ever, many internal operational improvements, and a re-energized staff with new visions for BISR’s future.

We would like to express our gratitude to BISR’s outgoing, founding director, Ajay Singh Chaudhary, who has led the organization since its creation in 2012. Ajay’s tenure saw the vast expansion of the Institute in terms of programming, students taught, breadth of curriculum, and faculty size and reputation. Suzy and Ajay worked closely together during much of this period, surmounting numerous organizational hurdles, and we are very fortunate to have the deep institutional knowledge and continuity that Suzy brings to the Executive Director role.

Transitions are ripe with opportunity, and we are excited to pursue several new initiatives. Some of these future plans include more regular events and membership programming, new podcast shows and hosts, long-term course sequences that guide students through the BISR curriculum, and an expanded roster of partnerships. If you believe in the importance of the Institute’s work as much as we do, please consider making a donation or becoming a member to help sustain it.

We are grateful to have the support of our faculty and staff, as well as our incredible community of students, members, and supporters, as we enter our next chapter.