Meet Susan Cianfaglione

Susan was born and grew up in Lake County, Ohio. She attended high school at Villa Angela Academy in Cleveland, and Mentor High School in Mentor, Ohio.

She was the second of six children and all work in family gardens and family businesses. Her youngest sister raises chickens, beef and bees. She sells vegetables, honey and eggs at a farm market. Her 97-year-old father lives on the historic 150-acre family farm and still grows plants from seeds in his greenhouse.

Susan’s post-secondary education was received at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio; University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Kent State University, Kent, Ohio; and George Washington University, Washington, DC.

She lived and worked in Michigan for more than thirty years in public education and Adjunct Instructor at Albion College, and was also a marketing and retail business owner.

Susan came to Norfolk in 2005 when she accepted a position with the Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services as a Certified Vocational Evaluator, and retired in 2018.

When asked what made her want to become a Master Gardener, Susan said she has always loved growing vegetables, flowers and herbs. This led her to take a Botany class in college. She wanted to learn more about fertilizers, pesticides and grass seed. She is currently working at Taylor’s Do it Center and it was there that she met Tom West and Kim Stewart who encouraged her to join the Norfolk Master Gardener Class of 2023. 

Susan felt that the MG classes were “top-notch”! She particularly enjoyed the presentation on herbs. She likes to grow and cook with herbs.

Susan worked on a variety of projects to attain her fifty hours including the Weyanoke Bird and Wildlife Sanctuary, Fred Heutte Square Foot Garden, Dig and Divides for the Plant Sale, Lafayette Wetlands Partnership work, and served on the Hospitality Committee.

Now that she has attained her certification she plans to continue working at the Fred Heutte Square Foot Garden, Weyanoke Bird and Wildlife Sanctuary and the Eco Garden.

When she isn’t working on MG projects Susan enjoys cooking, music and sewing costumes for theater productions.

Susan has two daughters, Jennifer and Lesley, and one grandson named Cory. She shares her home with her 7-year-old AKC Shetland Sheepdog, Cody.

When you see Susan, be sure to introduce yourself and welcome her to Norfolk Extension Master Gardeners.