About the Author

Susan Koen, Ph.D., is a psychologist, author, and speaker whose work explores the profound terrains of love, death, courage, and human connection. For decades, she served as a researcher and management consultant, helping individuals and organizations understand circadian rhythms and the neuroscience behind human errors and safety lapses at work.

Her life and career took a transformative turn when her beloved partner of forty years was diagnosed with a genetic brain disorder, the GRN version of Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) known clinically as bvFTD. As Susan became her primary caregiver, she entered a chapter marked by advocacy, tenderness, humor, and the emotional complexity of witnessing someone you love slowly disappear.

Her memoir, Dancing in the Face of Death: A Journey of Love, Caregiving, and Courage amid a Dementia Diagnosis, to be published in early June 2026, invites readers into the intimate, often unspoken realities of caregiving and anticipatory grief. In it, Susan weaves together personal narrative, psychological insight, and the enduring truth that love can deepen even in decline.

Through her writing and speaking, Susan opens space for honest conversations about Caregiving, Personal Courage, Healthy Love and Healthy Grief, End-of-Life Decision Making, Death with Dignity, and the beauty of long-term lesbian relationships. She brings a rare blend of scholarly expertise and lived experience — offering clarity, warmth, and compassion to caregivers, persons with FTD and their families, medical professionals, and aging LGBTQ+ communities.

Today, Susan is committed to expanding understanding and empathy around FTD, particularly GRN-FTD, and empowering others to navigate illness, aging, and death with openness and connection. Her work reminds audiences that, even in the most difficult moments, love endures and meaning continues to unfold.

Susan is currently booking speaking engagements and author events for Spring, Summer, and Fall 2026.