Suzanne Lerner

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

SKILLS

ABOUT SUZANNE LERNER

Suzanne Lerner, co-founder and CEO of contemporary fashion and lifestyle brand Michael Stars, is an activist, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. Under Suzanne’s leadership, Los Angeles-based Michael Stars, the company that she co-founded with her late husband Michael Cohen, has evolved into a collection of beautifully designed fashion essentials. One of the first socially responsible apparel brands, Michael Stars has always ensured fair wages and was an early innovator in local sourcing and manufacturing. The company also recently received the Southern California Apparel Social Responsibility Award from the Los Angeles Business Journal. Suzanne’s activism and philanthropy focuses on funding grassroots and community organizations that are building critical pathways to gender and racial equity. She invests in communities both domestically and internationally through personal grants, impact investments, and the Michael Stars Foundation, which she and Michael established nearly 20 years ago. She is a frequent contributor and speaker on running socially-responsible businesses, women entrepreneurs, and encouraging the next generation of leaders. She serves on the boards of the Fund for Women’s Equality (ERA Coalition) and the Foundation Board of the ACLU of Southern California. She served six years on the board of the Ms. Foundation for Women. She is an advisory board member of A Call to Men, Prosperity Catalyst, and Children Mending Hearts as well as a member of Forbes Business Council, Women Donors Network (WDN), and Women Moving Millions. She is also funding a program in Africa thru the Maverick Collective (PSI). She has been funding grassroots organizations in Haiti for the past ten years. An avid supporter of documentary film, Suzanne was an associate producer of \"The Fight,\" winner of the 2020 Sundance Film Festival Special Jury Prize. She also is an executive producer of Shouting Down Midnight, the story of Wendy Davis’ filibuster in 2013.Suzanne inspires new generations of social impact entrepreneurs and is a frequent contributor and speaker on investing, founding, and running socially businesses. Her honors include the “Woman of Vision” Award from the Ms. Foundation for Women, as well as recognition as one of “21 Leaders for the 21st Century” by Women’s eNews and as one of the “25 Most Influential Angelenos,” by Angeleno Magazine. She resides in Manhattan Beach, California, New York City, and Mykonos, Greece with her #feministpup @ms_simbaFor more information visit suzannelerner.com