AHA’s new Development Associate Susanna McIntyre has an inspiring message for you: “Never underestimate your influence. Together, we can combat these injustices and be a beacon of hope and progress.”
Published 9/1/2023
Susanna McIntyre joined the AHA team last month as our new Development Associate. A long time supporter, she was inspired to apply for a job at AHA by the vital work we do across our program areas, from combating FGM to defending free speech to opposing Islamism—all work made possible by you, our supporters.
Below, you can get to know her a little better and read a personal message from her. We are sure that you will look forward to seeing what she achieves in her new role just as much as AHA is enjoying working with her to ensure your vision comes true!
AHA Foundation: Hi Susanna, and welcome to the team! Tell us a little about your background.
Susanna McIntyre: In terms of my academic and professional background, I graduated from the University of San Francisco with a BA in Psychology and completed an internship at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) in the field of Contemplative Neuroscience. I went on to become a Clinical Research Coordinator Assistant within the Radiology Department at UCSF.
In an extracurricular volunteer capacity, for the past 3 years I have been leading a non-profit dedicated to providing community and support to those who have left religion, with a particular focus on Ex-Muslims, and this quickly became my passion. I am also enthusiastic about volunteering with my local Iranian-American community to assist their efforts in amplifying the impact of the Woman, Life, Freedom uprising in Iran against the theocratic Islamic Republic regime.
I have a particular interest in the global problem of blasphemy and apostasy laws, and I have spearheaded campaigns to support activists criminalized and persecuted by such laws. I view all of my work as an articulation of my deeply held appreciation for free speech, a right that I believe is the primary driver of human progress and prosperity.
“I first became a supporter because AHA was the best source of finding data about FGM and honor violence in the U.S.”
AHA Foundation: And how did you become interested in our Founder Ayaan Hirsi Ali and AHA’s work? Why did you become a supporter?
Susanna McIntyre: When I first discovered the Ex-Muslim movement a few years ago I became absolutely absorbed, and began to soak up all the information and writings I could find. What these thinkers had to say ran so contrary to what I had been told as I grew up in post-9/11 America. Their criticisms exposed the white-washing of Islamist extremism and the insidious poison of cultural relativism that excuses abuses like female genital mutilation (FGM) and honor violence under the guise of “cultural sensitivity.”
Susanna’s passion for AHA’s values shines through.
Ayaan Hirsi Ali is an icon in the Ex-Muslim space. She is one of its central figures and one cannot be interested in this issue without appreciating her impact and legacy. I first became a supporter because AHA was the best source of finding data about FGM and honor violence in the U.S., and I continued to support AHA because I deeply appreciated the organization’s explicit mandate to promote critical thinking on college campuses, something that was clearly missing during my time in university.
AHA Foundation: What inspired you to go one step further from supporting us to becoming a team member?
Susanna McIntyre: Through my activism, I became friends with Hanna Nour, one of AHA’s campus program fellows and someone who truly embodies AHA’s values through her integrity and her commitment to the promotion of free inquiry and open dialogue. We were discussing how I was disappointed that I couldn’t participate in the Critical Thinking Fellowship campus program, as I am no longer a student, and she encouraged me to get involved with AHA by applying for this role.
It aligned perfectly with the causes I have been dedicated to for the past 3 years, and I was also well-equipped with non-profit experience. I am so glad that Hanna made that suggestion because now I get to work with an amazing team and organization that understands my passions and the issues that drive me!
“I’m eager to get to know and build relationships with AHA’s donors and supporters who make our programming possible. Their perspective…drives me to ensure that their vision is reflected in our work!”
AHA Foundation: What most excites you about our work and values, and how do you see the future panning out?
Susanna McIntyre: There is so much that excites me about this work. I am fascinated by the uniquely influential policy work of AHA, I’m passionate about the anti-FGM trainings to professionals that we provide, and I’m inspired by our efforts to imbue Enlightenment values into the next generation of thinkers and leaders. I’m eager to get to know and build relationships with AHA’s donors and supporters who make our programming possible. Their perspective on the world and why it inspires them to give provides me with valuable insight and drives me to ensure that their vision is reflected in our work!
AHA Foundation: Thanks for taking some time out of your busy day to answer these questions, Susanna! Finally, do you have a message for our readers, donors, and supporters?
Susanna McIntyre: Reading about the fearless work of Ayaan Hirsi Ali, the harrowing realities of FGM, child and forced marriage, and honor violence, the erosion of free speech on college campuses and beyond, and the threat posed by Islamism to freedom around the world changed the course of my life. These issues are not just abstract concepts, but real challenges that countless individuals face daily. AHA exists to remedy these problems and I am living proof of the impact that informed and compassionate individuals can have on a single person’s trajectory.
To all our readers, donors, and supporters: Never underestimate your influence. Together, we can combat these injustices and be a beacon of hope and progress.
If you are a reader, donor, or supporter who wants to find out more about how to help AHA in its mission to preserve, protect, and promote Western freedoms and ideals, Susanna would love to hear from you. Message her at susanna@theahafoundation.org.
Find out how to get involved with AHA
Read AHA’s 2022 Annual Report: 15 Years of Disruption for Good